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DUKP:  DAVIS 


FLASHLIGHTS 

FROM 

MOUNTAIN    AND    PLAIN 


By  DUKE  DAVIS 


.  .  .  .PUBLISHED    BY 

THE  PENTECOSTAL  UNION 

(Pillar  of  Fire) 

Bound  Brook,  N.  J 

1911 


'^D  15" 


Copyright,  191 1,  by  The  Pentecostal  Union. 
International  Copyright  Secured. 


jDaiicroft  Library 


INTRODUCTION 


A  few  years  ago  the  writer  and  some  co- 
workers conducted  revival  services  in  Mon- 
tana. Among  those  who  were  converted  was 
Duke  Davis,  the  author  of  this  book,  who  is 
a  nephew  of  Mrs.  Alma  White  and  myself.  He 
afterwards  came  to  the  Bible  School  to  prepare 
for  the  ministry,  and  has  labored  faithfully 
toward  the  spread  of  the  Gospel.  His  famil- 
iarity with  Western  cowboy  life,  together  with 
a  facile  pen  and  the  illumination  of  the  Spirit 
have  enabled  him  to  write  a  volume  that  will 
doubtless  afford  pleasure  and  profit  to  thou- 
sands. His  descriptions  of  the  bucking 
bronco,  the  herds  of  cattle,  the  "round  up," 
the  "stampede,"  and  the  cowboy  himself  with 
his  spurs,  "chaps"  and  inseparable  lariat,  are 
full  of  interest. 

The  book  reveals  the  author's  fondness 
for  outdoor  life.  He  enjoyed  the  liberty  of 
the  birds,  the  sparkle  of  the  mountain  streams, 
the  beauty  of  the  open  sky  with  the  brightness 
of  noon,  the  hues  of  sunset  and  the  serenity 
of  the  stars.  In  addition  he  has  the  feelings 
and  instincts  of  a  cowboy  and  doubtless  would 


INTRODUCTION 

have  spent  his  life  on  the  plains  had  not  the 
Lord  thrown  about  him  the  lasso  of  Divine 
grace  and  commissioned  him  to  preach  the 
Gospel. 

The  book  is  deeply  spiritual.  Though  not 
of  a  doctrinal  character  it  is  both  safe  and 
sane.  The  author  has  an  observing  eye  and 
finds  "tongues  in  the  trees,  books  in  the  run- 
ning brooks,  sermons  in  stones,"  and  God 
everywhere.  Through  these  pages  there  flows 
a  spring  of  living  water;  the  Christian  will  be 
refreshed  by  it  and  the  sinner  may  stoop  down 
and  drink  and  live.  We  trust  the  book  may 
have  a  wide  circulation  and  that  the  Lord  will 
greatly  use  it  to  promote  his  cause  and  king- 
dom. C.  W.  Bridwell. 


CONTENTS 


What  Might  Have  Been     -    -'-    -     -    -    -     13 

Personal   Experience       --------21 

Riding   Broncos       ----------40 

In   Yellowstone   Park    --------51 

How  Shall  We  Escape?    ---    --    -    -     -     61 

The  Western   Bronco     --------72 

Training   for   Service     -     -------89 

Endurance    ------------     102 

Waters  of  Life     ----------m 

The    Mountain    Lily     --------119 

Fishing     -------------     125 

''Calves  of  the  Stall''    --------131 

Thanksgiving  Day  in  Camp    ------     138 

Guard  the  Weak  Places     -     -     -     -     -     -     -     153 

Little  Things    -----------     167 

Sheep  and  Their  Shepherds    ------     172 

A  Lucrative  Business    -    -•-    -    -    --    -     182 

The  Riches  of  Earth    --------     191 

"Wound  Up"     -----------     202 


CONTENTS 

They  Seek  A  Country    ------        -  212 

The  Indian    ------------  220 

Watch   and   Pray     -     --------  227 

Meditation    ------------  231 

The  Stampede    -----------  238 

A  Cold  Ride     -----------  250 

The  Harvest  is  Past     --------  260 


Note — The  colortypes  in  this  book,  as  well  as  the  illus- 
trations on  pages  35,  44,  47,  206,  240,  252  and  256,  are  repro- 
ductions of  pictures  by  C.  M.  Russell,  the  well-known  "Cow- 
boy Artist,"  and  are  Copyrighted  by  the  Ridgley  Calendar 
Co.  of  Great  Falls,  Montana. 


WHAT-  MIGHT   HAVE    BEEN 


QUIETLY  NESTLED  at  the  foot  of  a 
range  of  hills  skirting  the  Ohio  River 
lies  the  little  town  of  V ,  Ky.     In 

the  early  summer  time  the  heavy  green  foliage 
on  the  hills,  dotted  here  and  there  with  dog- 
wood blossoms  of  white,  furnishes  a  pictur- 
esque background  when  viewed  from  a  passing 
boat  or  from  the  opposite  bank  of  the  river. 
During  the  hot,  sultry  days  of  Summer,  little 
of  interest  happens  to  break  the  quietude  of 
the  inhabitants.  Perhaps  the  passing  of  a 
squeaky  old  wagon  loaded  with  lumber,  tan 
bark  or  hoop-poles  from  the  country  district, 
and  drawn  by  a  yoke  of  oxen,  or  it  may  be 
the  whistle  of  an  incoming  train  occasionally 
breaks  the  monotony  of  those  who  lazily  reclim"' 
in  front  of  their  places  of  business. 

Just  a  block  from  the  business  center,  and 
separated  from  the  county  courthouse  prem- 
ises by  a  narrow  street,  is  one  of  the  chief 
livery  barns  of  the  city.  A  large  tree  with 
wide  extended  branches,    growing    near    the 


14  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 

curbing,  and  just  a  little  to  the  left  of  the  en- 
trance furnishes  abundant  shade  for  the  not 
too  busy  proprietor  and  his  assistants,  as  well 
as  for  some  half  dozen  other  idlers  who  have 
sought  a  retreat  from  the  burning  rays  of 
the  sun. 

The  wooden  benches  and  rudely  con- 
structed chairs,  by  their  markings,  show  too 
plainly  that  the  penknife  had  had  little  mercy 
upon  them.  Little  piles  of  shavings  from 
pieces  of  white  pine  or  sweet-smelling  cedar 
wood  lie  here  and  there  upon  the  ground,  all 
betokening  the  chief  occupation  of  those  who 
gathered  there  from  day  to  day  to  pass  away 
the  time. 

Two  barefoot  boys,  some  ten  or  eleven 
years  old,  having  grown  tired  of  their  play 
down  by  the  river,  chance,  along  on  their  way 
home.  They  were  boon  companions  and  were 
seldom  separated  long  at  a  time.  During  the 
school .  session  they  attended  the  same  school 
and  occupied  a  seat  together.  They  engaged 
in  the  same  games  side  by  side;  they  fished 
together  and  swam  together  and  were  growing 
up  as  friendly  as  friends  could  be.  But  to-day 
the  tie  was  to  be  broken.  They,  too,  welcoming 
a  cool  place,  take  a  seat  side  by  side  on  the 
curbstone,  and  instinctively  their  knives  were 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  17 

brought  from  their  pockets.  Finding  them 
somewhat  dull,  they  proceeded  to  sharpen 
them.  Presently  they  engage  in  some  childish 
dispute,  which  under  favorable  environments, 
would  have  passed  away  immediately.  But 
not  so  here.  Just  such  a  place  would  Satan 
choose  to  do  something  out  of  the  ordinary — 
in  the  midst  of  men  sitting  around  smoking, 
chewing  and  swearing.  Most  wicked  men  like 
to  see  boys  fight,  and  these  were  no  exception. 
The  boys,  though  at  first  not  sufficiently  pro- 
voked at  each  other  to  strike,  are  urged  on  until 
they  are  striking  at  each  other  with  their 
knives,  yet  in  their  own  hearts  it  was  in  a  play- 
ful way,  neither  thinking  that  the  other  was 
angry.  Nevertheless,  one  of  them  becomes  sud- 
denly infuriated,  and  his  long,  keen  knife  blade 
finds  its  way  into  a  vital  spot  of  him  who  but  a 
moment  before  was  his  chum.  The  wounded 
boy  is  taken  to  the  doctor's  office,  and  after  ex- 
amination, little  hope  is  given  for  his  recovery. 
However,  the  wound  is  dressed  and  he  is  car- 
ried home  and  placed  upon  a  bed.  The  pious 
old  preacher,  with  his  Bible,  comes  and  reads 
and  prays,  and  with  an  uncertain  look  upon  his 
face,  goes  away  again.  The  neighbors  come  in 
and  walk  softly  about  the  room  and  in  muffled 
tones  discuss  the  case.     The  doctor  makes  his 


i8  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 

regular  visits,  and  after  a  course  of  time  the 
danger  point  is  safely  passed  and  hopes  of  com- 
plete restoration  are  entertained,  yet  the  pa- 
tient lay  for  weeks  in  the  summer's  heat 
scarcely  able  to  move. 

Giving  due  credit  to  the  attending  physi- 
cian and  careful  nursing,  we  dare  say,  owing  to 
the  nature  of  the  wound,  that  death  might 
have  resulted  had  not  that  Great  Physician, 
that  unseen  visitor  at  every  bedside  of  the  sick, 
been  present  and  mightily  manifested  His 
power  and  love. 

To  return  to  the  place  where  this  deed 
was  perpetrated,  let  us  imagine  how  easily  it 
might  have  been  avoided  had  any  of  the  adults 
present  administered  a  word  of  rebuke  or  ad- 
monition instead  of  urging  the  boys  to  fight. 
There  is  a  great  reward  awaiting  peacemakers, 
but  they  who  delight  in  stirring  up  strife  and 
contention  among  others  are  sure  of  awful  ret- 
ribution. 

Let  us  see  what  time  has  wrought  in  this 
case,  so  far  as  is  possible  at  least.  One  of  the 
young  men  present  who  most  delighted  in  a 
fight,  was  afterward  seized  with  a  dread  dis- 
ease and  after  suffering  for  months,  passed  out 
of  this  life,. leaving  behind  him  no  evidence  of 
a  victorious  death.     The  boy  who  used  the 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  19 

knife  became  a  saloon  keeper  when  grown  up. 
Others  who  were  present  continued  to  chew 
and  smoke  and  whittle  away  their  lives  and 
have  departed  this  Hfe  having  accomplished 
nothing  of  worth.  Still  others  traveled  the 
same  old  beaten  paths  for  years  and  probably 
never  yielded  to  the  entreaties  of  the  Holy 
Spirit. 

But  was  there  no  peacemaker  in  evidence 
on  this  occasion?  A  young  man  serving  the 
county  as  clerk,  just  at  the  opportune  moment, 
emerges  from  his  place  of  duty.  Taking  in 
the  situation  at  a  glance,  he  puts  a  stop  to  what 
might  have  ended  more  seriously.  Many 
years  passed  and  he  remained  at  his  position  of 
honor. 

The  boy  who  received  the  wound,  having 
little  restraint  placed  upon  him,  lived  the  way 
of  the  world  until  manhood  was  reached. 
He  went  West  and  for  a  number  or  years  min- 
gled with  the  hardened  men  of  the  plains,  but 
the  mighty  hand  of  God,  no  doubt  laid  upon 
him  through  the  prayers  of  a  mother  who 
parted  this  life  when  he  was  but  five  years  of 
age,  still  pressed  upon  him  and  delivered  him 
from  dangerous  places.  Yet  how  easily  those 
prayers  might  have  been  hindered  by  his  per- 
sistently pursuing  a  course  opposite  to  the  will 


20 


FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 


of  God.  He  gave  his  heart  to  God  and  is  now 
a  servant  of  high  heaven  to  publish  the  salva- 
tion of  peace  to  a  dying  world. 

The  above  incident  might  have  been 
avoided  by  a  timely  admonition,  then  again 
suffering  and  death  might  have  ensued  were  it 
not  that  the  God  of  mercy  is  deeply  interested 
in  the  affairs  of  men  on  earth. 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  21 


PERSONAL  EXPERIENCE 


OUR  READERS  who  have  never  come  in 
close  touch  with  Hfe  in  the  far  West  no 
doubt  have  their  opinions  and  ideas, 
based  on  what  they  have  read  and  heard,  as 
to  the  character  of  cowboys  and  their  manner 
of  Hving.  It  is  hkely  that  you  have  set  them 
down  as  a  class  of  rough  young  men,  given 
wholly  to  revelry  and  wickedness  and  void  of 
true  gentlemanly  qualities  and  Christian  prin- 
ciples. It  is  true  that  in  frontier  days  many 
wicked  deeds  were  perpetrated  by  some  of 
these  men  of  the  range.  Their  drunken  sprees 
and  unexpected  rides  through  towns  shooting 
right  and  left,  causing  a  general  stampede  of 
the  inhabitants,  is  a  matter  of  history.  But 
aside  from  these  undesirable  traits  and  waves 
of  reckless  enthusiasm,  and  under  their  rough 
exterior,  many  of  them  were  found  with  hearts 
true  and  loyal  to  their  fellowmen  and  full  of 
sympathy  for  the  weak  and  helpless. 

It  is  the  demon  of  drink  that  makes  men 
cruel  and  unreasonable  in  their  demeanor.  We 
have  known  cowboys,  who,  when  sober,  were 
quiet,  congenial  and    agreeable     companions, 


22  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 

l>ut  when  under  the  influence  of  intoxicants 
were  transformed  into  mad  men,  and  would 
want  to  fight,  shoot,  and  in  every  way  possible 
give  vent  to  their  feelings. 

The  life  of  a  cowboy  is  fascinating  and 
when  once  entered  upon  by  the  young  man 
is  usually  pursued  until  disabled  by  accident 
or  the  long-continued  riding  incapacitates  him 
for  such  a  strenuous  occupation.  Most  cow- 
boys become  hardened  in  sin  and  often  drift 
beyond  the  reach  of  the  Gospel.  However, 
we  have  known  some  of  them  to  become  truly 
converted,  have  their  wild  and  reckless  natures 
subdued  and  become  workers  in  the  Lord's 
vineyard  to  preach  deliverance  to  others  who 
are  bound  by  the  chains  of  sin.  But  such  in- 
stances are  rare.  In  fact,  there  be  few  from 
any  walk  of  life  who  choose  the  narrow  way 
and -bear  the  reproach  of  the  cross. 

It  was  in  the  spring  of  1896,  when  a 
youth  in  my  teens,  I  left  my  quiet  Kentucky 
home  in  Lewis  County  and  started  west.  My 
destination  was  a  stock  ranch  in  the  Grass- 
hopper Valley,  Beaverhead  County,  Montana. 
On  arriving  at  Dillon  I  visited  a  few  days  at 
the  home  of  relatives.  The  ranch  to  which 
I  wished  to  go  was  thirty-five  miles  distant, 
and  as  there  was  no  regular  conveyance  to 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  23 

that  section  of  the  country,  arrangements  were 
made  to  ride  over  with  a  stockman  who  Uved 
on  beyond  and  was  then  in  town  with  a  four- 
horse  team  purchasing  suppHes  for  his  ranch. 
This  trip  out  to  the  ranch  was  my  first  intro- 
duction to  western  ways.  However,  I  had 
read  and  heard  considerable  and  was  pretty 
well  acquainted  with  things  in  general.  I  took 
a  seat  beside  the  driver  and  owner  of  the 
team  and  in  the  course  of  an  hour's  drive  we 
had  left  the  muddy  roads  of  the  valley  and  had 
reached  a  stretch  of  prairie  land,  and  were 
making  toward  a  range  of  mountains  some 
fifteen  or  twenty  miles  away. 

In  the  meantime  Mr.  W ,  who  had  im- 
bibed freely  of  the  forbidden  beverage  while 
in  tow^n  and  along  the  way,  was  becoming 
somewhat  drowsy  and,  turning  the  lines  over 
to  me,  sought  a  place  for  repose  in  the  back 
part  of  the  wagon  where  one  of  his  hired  men 
also  lay.  It  required  most  of  the  latter's  time 
and  strength  to  manage  a  rope  to  which  were 
attached  five  or  six  half-broke  horses.  In  the 
West  they  have  a  singular  way  of  leading 
broncos.  They  tie  the  halter  of  one  horse  se- 
curely to  the  tail  of  another,  and  so  on,  untij 
four  or  five  may  be  strung  out  together.  As 
these  horses  were  not  well  broke  to  lead  they 


24  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 

would  frequently  get  to  pulling  back  which 
would  cause  the  most  vigorous  kicking  on  the 
part  of  the  horse  in  front.  At  such  times 
there  would  be  two  or  three  sets  of  heels  flying 
in  the  air,  while  as  many  horses  would  be  pull- 
ing back  with  all  their  might  trying  to  keep 
their  heads  out  of  reach.  Fortunately  for  the 
horses  that  were  being  kicked  at,  their  ropes 
were  long  enough  to  enable  them  to  keep  their 
heads  at  a  safe  distance.  This  was  all  great 
amusement  for  a  boy  from  the  East,  and 
though  our  thirty-five  mile  ride  was  over  des- 
ert waste  and  rugged  mountains,  the  trip  did 
not  seem  long,  and  before  nightfall  I  had 
reached  my  aunt's  stock  ranch.  Here  I 
stayed  for  a  year  working  with  horses  and  cat- 
tle, helping  with  the  harvesting  of  the  hay  crop 
and  in  the  meantime  learned  something  about 
riding,  throwing  a  lariat,  etc.  It  is  needless 
to  say  I  soon  became  very  much  attached  to 
the  free,  open  life  of  the  plains  and  had  no 
desire  to  return  east. 

In  the  winter  of  1898  I  concluded  to  get  a 
little  more  schooling  and  entered  the  State 
Normal  School  at  Dillon  which  had  just  begun 
its  first  term.  But  by  spring  the  desire  for 
outdoor  life  was  stronger  than  the  inclination 
to  sit  within  the  walls  of  a  school  building  and 


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MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  27 

I   soon    found  myself    back    on    the    ranch. 

Years  went  by.  and  though  I  was  of  a 
reHgious  disposition  and  had  attended  church 
and  Sunday-school  most  of  my  life,  the  world 
was  getting  a  strong  hold  on  me  and  I  was 
growing  up  pretty  much  as  other  young  men, 
so  far  as  having  any  serious  thought  about 
serving  God  was  concerned.  Like  myriads  of 
church  members  I  knew  not  by  experience 
what  it  means  to  be  converted  and  was  in  dark- 
ness as  to  the  truth  of  spiritual  things.  I  had 
united  with  the  Methodist  Church  and  when 
living  in,  or  near  town  always  availed  myself  of 
the  opportunity  of  attending  religious  services. 
Yet  I  had  never  ceased  from  sin  or  surren- 
dered my  life  to  do  the  whole  will  of  God,  a 
thing  which  all  must  do  in  order  to  reach 
heaven. 

Nevertheless,  I  was  often  under  convic- 
tion for  my  inconsistent  life,  and  at  such  times 
would  make  an  effort  in  my  own  strength  to 
cease  to  do  evil  and  learn  to  do  well,  but  I  saw 
too  clearly  that  in  myself  I  was  a  miserable 
failure,  even  though  I  succeeded  in  breaking 
away  from  many  things  that  were  question- 
able. But  no  matter  how  hard  I  tried,  1 
could  make  myself  no  better  in  God's  sight 
and  was  made  to  mourn  my  sad  condition.      I 


28  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 

cried  for  deliverance,  but  it  seems  there  was  a 
reserve  on  my  part,  consequently  I  did  not  re- 
ceive the  divine  help  I  sought.  Then  too,  I 
needed  some  living  examples  of  God's  true 
people  to  show  me  the  way.  The  church  serv- 
ices I  had  been  in  the  habit  of  attending  were 
of  a  superficial  character.  There  was  little  or 
none  of  the  power  of  God  manifest  in  them. 
Empty  forms  and  ritualism  are  not  calculated 
to  help  the  sinner  on  to  God.  Such  a  service 
suits  Satan's  purpose  very  well  for  deceiving 
souls  and  easing  the  way  down  to  perdition,  but 
it  takes  infinitely  more  than  this  to  cause  men 
to  fear  and  tremble  because  of  their  sins  and 
to  cry,  "What  must  I  do  to  be  saved." 

However,  the  Lord  had  His  hand  upon  me 
and  changed  the  order  of  things.  Some  evan- 
gelists came  to  town  who  had  pulled  away 
from  dead  ecclesiasticisms  and  had  tarried 
until  "endued  with  power  from  on  high."  Like 
a  noted  preacher  of  former  years,  they 
preached  an  "uttermost  salvation  for  the  right- 
eous and  endless  damnation  for  the  wicked." 
Though  living  three  miles  from  town  at  the 
time,  I  attended  the  special  services  regularly 
and  soon  found  myself  at  the  altar  praying  for 
salvation.  I  yielded  to  God  and  received  the 
witness  that  I  was  His  child.     I  received  some 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  29 

wonderful  touches  on  my  soul  and  at  times  was 
very  happy,  but  the  carnal  nature  soon  mani- 
fested itself  and  I  often  found  myself  strug- 
gling for  the  mastery  over  things  that  had  for- 
merly predominated  in  my  life.  At  the  time  of 
my  conversion  I  felt  a  strong  call  to  give  up 
worldly  ambition  and  to  enter  fully  into  prep- 
aration for  the  Lord's  work,  but  I  failed  to 
miake  the  struggle  at  that  time  and  continued 
for  two  years  or  more  to  labor  for  the  things 
that  perish.  But  I  was  a  changed  man  ever 
after  my  conversion,  and  though  I  lost  some  of 
the  joy  and  peace  from  my  soul,  the  foolish 
pleasures  of  the  world  had  lost  their  charm  for 
me  and  I  realized  that  nothing  short  of  God's 
blessing  could  ever  completely  satisfy. 

It  was  in  the  spring  of  1904  that  I  took 
the  position  of  foreman  for  the Herd- 
ing Association.  This  company  was  com- 
posed of  four  influential  men,  two  or  three 
of  whom  were  old  pioneers,  and  their  cattle 
numbered  some  ten  thousand  head.  Each  of 
them  owned  ranches  in  Horse  Prairie  Valley, 
but  they  had  company  ranches  fifty  miles  away 
in  Big  Hole  Basin.  Here  they  grazed  their 
cattle  in  the  summer  time,  trailing  them  back 
and  forth  in  the  spring  and  fall.  Their  cattle 
were  allowed  to  drift  toward  the  Basin  in  the 


30  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 

§p,ring  before  the  round-up  was  started  and 
the  ranchers  along  the  way  considered  it  some- 
what of  an  intrusion  for  the  cattle  to  graze 
over  land  adjacent  to  their  ranches  and  were 
annoyed  no  little  by  their  own  cattle  drifting 
with  the  large  herd  and  straying  away. 

_  As  a  result  of  these  conditions  there  was 
more  or  less  strife  between  the  stockmen;  and 
the  ranchmen  along  the  way,  as  well  as 
those  living  in  the  Basin,  thought  the  only  way 
to  even  things  up  was  to  appropriate  a  "Mav- 
erick" or  beef  steer  occasionally  from  the  Com- 
.pany  herd.  It  is  said  of  some  of  them  that 
they  never  killed  one  of  their  own  cattle,  but 
seemed  to  think  they  were  doing  a  good  deed  if 
they  could  get  away  with  a  ''Horse  Prairie" 
animal.  Of  course  the  butchering  was  done 
under  cover  and  the  branded  hides  destroyed  to 
avoid  detection.  Though  their  deeds  were 
well  known  to  many,  it  was  difficult  to  prove 
a  case  against  the  offenders  and  but  an  occa- 
sional one  was  prosecuted.  Howbeit  some 
who  had  warrants  issued  against  them  skipped 
the  country  and  remained  away  rather  than 
return  and  stand  the  chance  of  proving  them- 
Sidy.'^sof  being  innocent.  Hence  the  country  in 
fne^rway  and  another  was  gradually  being  rid 
©J  the  "cattle  rustlers." 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  31 

A  portrayal  of  the  character,  and  a  rec- 
ord of  the  deeds  of  the  various  foremen 
the  Company  had  had  in  their  employ  dur- 
ing the  fifteen  or  twenty  years  previous  to 
this  time  we  daresay  would  make  inter- 
esting reading.  Though  many  of  them 
distixiguished  themselves  as  being  pretty 
well  acquainted  with  the  cattle  business,  and 
were  expert  at  riding  and  throwing  the  rope, 
we  failed  to  ever  hear  of  one  who  was 
noted  for  his  piety,  and  more  than  one  found 
his  way  to  the  state  prison  as  a  result  of  his 
dishonest  deeds.  It  is  with  most  cowboys  as 
it  is  with  people  everywhere,  religion  is  a  sec- 
ondary matter,  or  to  be  more  precise,  no  mat- 
ter at  all.  Yet  there  are  exceptions  to  all  rules, 
and  such  is  the  power  of  the  Gospel  that  it 
reaches  men  from  every  walk  of  life,  even 
searches  them  out  from  the  remote  corners 
of  the  earth  and  transforms  them  and  makes 
them  to  reflect  the  image  of  the  immac- 
ulate One. 

Not  a  few  of  the  Company's  foremen  were 
a  sad  disappointment  to  them.  Though  hired 
to  look  after  the  interests  of  the  Company, 
many  of  them  were  in  league  with  the  un- 
scrupulous ranchers  and  butchers  and  co-oper- 
ated with  them  in  getting  away  with  beeves 


32  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 

and  unbranded  calves  from  the  Company  herd. 

But  all  such  were  soon  found  out  and 
their  wicked  devices  brought  to  an  end.  Men 
often  succeed  for  a  time  in  covering  up  their 
evil  tracks,  and  some  things  are  never  brought 
to  light  in  this  world,  but,'  "Be  sure  your  sin 
will  find  you  out/'  If  not  in  this  life  it  will 
stand  out  in  all  its  hideousness  at  the  Judgment 
and  before  the  assembled  multitudes.  We 
have  heard  of  a  stockman  in  the  West  who 
was  once  driving  a  herd  of  cattle  to  market. 
In  passing  another's  ranch  a  stray  cow  got  in 
among  his  cattle  which  he  drove  off  to  market 
and  sold.  Years  went  by  and  this  same  man 
was  a  seeker  after  God  at  the  altar  of  prayer, 
but  as  he  prayed  a  white  cow  was  ever  before 
him  and  refused  to  be  removed.  But  as  he 
was  deeply  in  earnest  to  find  peace  to-  his  soul 
he  kept  seeking  until  the  Spirit  prompted  him 
to  go  back  to  the  man  whose  cow  he  had  driven 
off.  After  confessing  his  deed  and  paying  for 
the  stolen  cow  he  had  no  further  trouble.  No 
doubt  some  stockmen  would  have  a  great  herd 
looming  up  before  them  should  they  begin  to 
pray  for  salvation. 

A  rancher  living  in  the  vicinity  of  the  cow 
camp  had  killed  an  animal  belonging  to  the 
Company.      He  had  cut  the  green  hide  into 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  33 

strips  and  used  it  in  strengthening  one  of  his 
hay  racks.  The  cowboy  in  charge  of  the  herd 
at  that  time,  having  occasion  to  borrow  a  hay 
wagon  went  to  this  neighbor  and  was  given  the 
one  on  which  the  rawhide  had  been  used  so 
freely.  Being  somewhat  suspicious,  he  re- 
moved the  strips  of  hide,  placed  them  together 
and  traced  out  one  of  the  Company  brands. 
Thus  did  one  man's  sin  find  him  out,  though 
he  no  doubt  thought  it  was  covered  forever, 
but  it  was  not  even  hid  from  the  eyes  of  man, 
let  alone  the  all-seeing  eye  of  God. 

A  visitor  at  a  neighboring  ranch  one  day 
observed  a  hide  lying  near  which  contained 
two  large,  round  holes,  one  on  each  side  where 
the  brands  had  been.  By  way  of  a  jest  he  re- 
marked, "You  must  have  shot  that  one  with 
a  cannon."  Of  course  the  man  had  nothing  to 
say,  his  guilt  was  too  obvious. 

Though  having  been  associated  with  such 
men  as  the  foregoing  describes  and  surrounded 
with  environments  that  were  conducive  to 
lawlessness,  there  was  not  the  least  temptation 
to  be  a  party  to  a  dishonest  deed — this  partic- 
ular trait  of  evil  was  not  in  my  make-up,  yet 
ir  the  sight  of  God  I  was  no  less  a  sinner  than 
many  of  those  who  openly  violated  the  laws  of 
the  land.     I  felt  at  times  like  a  fugitive  from 


34  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 

justice,  a  Jonah  fleeing  from  duty,  and  my  con- 
demnation was  no  doubt  greater  than  those  of 
my  associates  who  were  out  and  out  sinners 
and  law  breakers.  I  observed  the  moral  law 
outwardly,  but  at  this  time  I  was  a  backslider 
and  without  the  peace  of  the  Lord  in  my  soul. 

Other  cowboys  thought  it  strange  when  I 
did  not  become  angry  and  swear  when  things 
went  wrong  and  that  I  did  not  smoke  or  play 
cards.  Though  having  once  been  addicted  to 
these  habits  I  had  long  since  gained  the  mas- 
tery over  them  and  Satan  seldom  tempted  me 
with  these  things.  While  this  was  much  to 
be  thankful  for,  I  was  not  satisfied.  The  work 
in  which  I  was  engaged  had  a  strong  attach- 
ment for  me  and  I  was  reluctant  to  give  it  up, 
yet  I  knew  the  Lord  was  calling  me  to  work 
in  His  vineyard,  inasmuch  as  I  could  not  get 
rid  of  the  thought  scarcely  for  an  hour  dur- 
ing the  day. 

There  were  times  that  sleep  w-ent  from 
my  eyes  and  I  would  lie  through  the  long  hours 
of  night  pondering  the  question  of  giving  up 
to  God.  I  was  fearful  lest  I  should  grieve 
the  Spirit  away  and  that  the  Lord  would  let 
trouble  come  upon  me.  In  mounting  or  riding 
fractious  horses  forebodings  of  evil  were  ever 
before  me.     Instances  of  cowbovs  who  had 


^ 

^j 

;&, 

^KMmr 

■t'-f^^tMM 

v^^^tl 

{y 

^\  ^ 

...... 

\  \ 

MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  37 

had  their  Hmbs  crushed  by  horses  faUing  on 
them  would  frequently  come  to  mind  as  warn- 
ings, and  something  would  say  that  I  might 
be  the  next  one  should  I  fail  to  obey  the  voice 
of  the  Lord,  but  He  in  mercy  kept  me  from 
injury,  though  having  been  thrown  from  bron- 
cos several  times,  as  well  as  to  have  them  stum- 
ble and  fall  when  going  at  a  rapid  rate  across 
country. 

It  is  not  an  uncommon  thing  for  horses 
on  the  range  to  fall  by  striking  a  badger  or 
gopher  hole  when  going  at  full  speed.  They 
somethings  turn  complete  somersaults  and  on 
such  occasions  it  is  nothing  short  of  a  miracle 
if  the  rider  escapes  injury.  I  recall  an  occa- 
sion when  galloping  along  with  three  other 
young  men.  I  was  riding  in  front.  My  horse 
went  down  and  the  one  closest  behind,  unavoid- 
ably stumbled  over  my  horse  and  we  all  piled 
up  together.  Aside  from  the  few  scratches 
the  horses  received,  no  damage  was  done  and 
we  rode  on,  hardly  giving  a  passing  remark 
to  such  an  occurrence. 

Thus  for  an  indefinite  period  I  halted  be- 
tween two  opinions,  but  before  the  season's 
work  was  over,  I  had  made  up  my  mind  to  go 
to  the  Pillar  of  Fire  Bible  School  in  Denver. 
The  Pillar  of  Fire  paper,  which  came  to  my 


38  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 

camp  regularly,  ever  kept  before  me  my  duty  to 
the  Lord,  and  there  was  no  evading  the  com- 
mand of  Jesus,  "Follow  me."  I  arrived  in 
Denver,  February  22,  1905,  determined  to  do 
the  will  of  the  Lord  and  to  seek  His  kingdom 
rather  than  the  things  of  the  world.  Since  that 
time  He  has  graciously  supplied  all  my  needs 
and  wonderfully  blest  my  soul.  Furthermore, 
He  has  kept  me  well  in  body  and  enabled  me 
to  work  day  after  day  in  His  vineyard. 

As  the  managing  of  a  large  herd  of  cat- 
tle involves  no  little  responsibility  and  the  fac- 
ing of  many  difficulties,  I  often  felt  incapable 
and  concerned  as  to  whether  I  was  performing 
my  duty  acceptably  or  not.  At  such  times  I 
would  feel  discouraged,  and  more  than  once 
was  tempted  to*  resign.  But  I  realized  that 
such  a  course  would  only  bring  disappoint- 
ment and  I  determined  to  stay  to  the  end  of  the 
season. 

Unexpected  mix-ups  with  other  cattle, 
strifes  and  contentions  among  the  cowboys, 
the  work  of  branding  calves,  etc.,  all  bring 
trials  and  testings,  and  it  requires  coolness  and 
force  of  will  to  endure  to  the  end  of  a  season 
on  the  cattle  range.  However,  when  the  work 
was  over  and  all  the  cattle  were  gathered  to 
their  winter  quarters  and  the  accounts  were 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  39 

settled,  it  was  said  to  me,  "You  did  good  work 
for  us  this  season,  and  if  you  have  nothing 
better  in  view  for  next  season,  we  should  like 
to  have  you  again,"  and  intimated  an  increase 
in  wages.  I  was  grateful  for  the  commenda- 
tion and  offer,  but  I  had  already  enlisted  in  the 
Lord's  service  and  am  striving  that  at  the  last 
great  day  I  may  hear  the  words,  "Well  done, 
good  and  faithful  servant:  *  *  enter  thou  into 
the  joys  of  thy  Lord." 


40  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 


RIDING  BRONCOS 


IT  DOES  not  take  a  very  close  study  of  the 
accompanying  illustrations  to  convince  the 

reader  what  has  happened.  It  is  a  scene  that 
has  often  been  enacted  on  the  western  plains. 
The  young  man  from  the  city,  by  some  myster- 
ious meanderings  finds  himself  in  a  cow  camp. 
When  the  delicate,  though  obstreperous  youth 
thus  comes  in  contact  with  the  rough-and-tum- 
ble ways  of  the  men  of  the  range,  there  are 
sure  to  be  some  strange  happenings.  The  lack 
of  knowledge  such  a  one  displays  of  life  on  the 
plains  furnishes  a  good  opportunity  for  the 
cowboys  to  have  some  fun. 

On  observing  some  saddle  horses  in  the  cor- 
ral, he  expresses  a  desire  to  ride  one  of  them. 
Cowboys  are  always  quite  hospitable  when  it 
comes  to  lending  horses  to  visitors,  especially 
when  they  have  some  on  hand  that  seem  to  be 
gaited  to  ragtime  music,  and  manifest  their 
hilarity  as  soon  as  mounted  by  starting  across 
country,  taking  high  rapid  and  successive 
jumps,  which  is  often  to  the  discomfiture  of  the 
rider,  but  always  a  w^elcome  excitement  for  the 
on-lookers.     Of  course  all  true-spirited  west- 


MOUNTAIN;  AND  PLAIN  41 

eriiers  always  give  the  new  arrival;  a  chance 
for  his  life.  They  look  him  over  and  ask  him 
if  he  can  ride.  Any  one  unacquainted  with 
life  in  a  cow  camp  has  little  conception  of  all 
that  this  question  implies.  "Can  you  ride?" 
"Oh  yes,  don't  yer  know.  I  have  ridden  in  thei 
cavalry,  and  have  chased  foxes  across  the 
country  in  England,"  etc.,  is  the  answer  that  is 
often  given  by  the  young  Englishman.  ; 

Most  anyone  can  sit  on  a  horse  so  long  as 
he  travels  along  in  a  steady  and  quiet  gait,  but 
in  cowboy  circles  this  question  embraces  much 
more  than  many  of  our  readers  might  suppose. 
It  is  at  least  calculated  to  bring  out  the  fact 
whether  the  one  interrogated  is  capable  of  sad- 
dling a  bronco,  mounting  him  and  retaining  his 
seat  while  the  horse  is  doing  his  best  to  unseat 
him  as  only  a  wild  horse  of  the  West  can  do. 
One  who  has  not  experienced  the  ordeal  of  sit- 
ting on  a  bucking  horse,  or  seen  his  perform- 
ances, has  little  knowledge  of  how  difficult  it 
is  for  the  novice  to  "stay"  even  for  a  jump  or 
two,  much  niore  for  a  few  minutes.  However, 
who  can,  and  who  cannot,  is  often  proved  in  the 
cattle  districts  of  the  West,  and  the  tender- 
foot, who  is  confident  of  his  ability  to  ride,  is 
promptly  provided  an  opportunity  for  estab- 
lishing the  truth  of  his  assertions.     So  a  horse 


42  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 

is  brought  forth  and  saddled.  Though  he 
stands  very  quiet  while  being  saddled  and 
mounted,  the  would-be  rider  is  no  sooner  on  his 
back  than  the  performance  begins.  Those 
hardy  men  of  the  range  fully  know  what  will 
happen.  They  have  already  had  visions  of  a 
horse  with  bowed  head,  jumping  stiff-legged 
across  the  prairie,  with  the  panic-stricken  youth 
dangling  from  the  horn  of  the  saddle,  while 
the  air  seems  to  be  laden  with  flying  buttons, 
caps,  eyeglasses,  kodaks,  etc.  Nevertheless, 
tliey  play  their  part  well,  and  give  the  unsus- 
pecting equestrian  no  reason  to  suppose  they 
are  "putting  up  a  game  on  him."  Judging 
from  his  position  on  the  ground  we  conclude 
that  he  did  not  ride  far,  but  we  dare  say  he  had 
an  excellent  opportunity  for  testing  the  atmos- 
phere in  the  upper  regions,  and  had  he  been  in 
possession  of  his  right  mind,  he  would  doubt- 
less have  imagined  himself  taking  a  flight  in 
one  of  the  modern  aeroplanes. 

This  little  episode  with  its  illustrations  is 
presented  here  because  of  the  very  important 
spiritual  lessons  it  impresses  upon  our  mind. 
That  Bible  character  who  was  especially  famed 
for  his  wisdom,  and  who  was  acquainted  with 
every  phase  of  life,  seemingly,  handed  down 
to  us  that  true  saying:  "Pride  goeth  before 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  45 

destruction,  and  a  haughty  spirit  before  a  faU/' 
Had  the  young  man  in  the  picture  come  in  a 
humble  way,  acknowledging  his  inability  to 
ride,  he  would  never  have  been  given  a  ''bad 
horse."  But  he  came  with  a  confidence  in 
himself  to  do  things,  having  never  learned  how. 
He  needed  to  be  humbled — he  needed  to  find 
out  his  own  weakness.  A  bucking  bronco 
and  two  able  instructors  were  the  instruments 
to  bring  it  about.  It  was  a  rough  process,  but 
one  that  never  fails  to  work.  We  dare  say  he 
was  a  much  humbler  and  wiser  boy  afterward, 
and  was  greatly  profited  by  the  experience. 

Just  so  do  men  in  pursuing  material,  or 
even  spiritual  ends,  meet  with  reverses.  Man's 
tendency  is  to  become  exalted  and  self-reliant 
after  having  attained  to  a  degree  of  efficiency 
in  any  pursuit.  Before  God  can  use  a  person 
and  make  of  him  a  vessel  unto  honor,  possess- 
ing a  humble  and  contrite  spirit,  it  is  often 
necessary  for  him  to  suffer  failure  in  order  to 
show  him  that  his  dependence  must  be  in  God 
alone.  His  progress,  however,  depends  largely 
upon  how  he  treats  failure  and  reverses.  Each 
defeat  of  one's  own  strength  and  plans  may  be 
used  as  a  round  in  the  ladder  making  the  next 
upward  step  possible,  or  it  may  be  used  as  a 


46  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 

round  on  which  to  take  the  backward  step  lead- 
ing to  destruction. 

Just  as  the  cowboy  of  wide  experience  and 
long  continued  practice  acquires  the  ability  to 
ride  the  most  agile  and  fractious  broncos,  so 
may  the  Christian  become  so  established  in  the 
way  of  truth  and  righteousness  that  the  most 
severe  shakings  that  come  from  the  powers  of 
evil  will  not  be  able  to  dislodge  him  from  his 
strongholds. 

Another  picture,  tmdrawn  by  any  earthly 
artist,  comes  to  our  mind.  That  most  un- 
tameable  of  animals — the  man  of  flesh,  seeks  to 
be  ridden  by  the  spiritual  man.  But  alas,  how 
often  th,e  spiritual  man  is  thrown  to  the  ground 
and  trampled  under  foot,  while  the  carnal  man 
plunges  on,  wasting  mind  and  body  and  fur- 
nishing a  spectacle  for  men  and  demons  to  look 
upon.  The  first  and  greatest  work  of  man  is 
to  teach  his  body  to  serve  his  soul.  If  he  fails 
to  do  this  the  reverse  of  the  order  will  be  the 
result  and  the  destruction  of  both  soul  and 
body  will  be  inevitable. 

While  God  often  employs  rigorous  meth- 
ods to  discipline  His  children,  He  subdues  no 
man  by  force  and  against  his  will.  The  bronco 
rider  mounts  the  wild  horse,  and  with  quirt 
and  spur,  forces  him  to  go  wherever  he  wills. 


^     (r)    [(\,\)^p' 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  49 

He  does  not  care  how  high  he  jumps  or  how 
hard  he  comes  down;  he  retains  his  seat  and 
rides  on.  After  repeated  attempts  to  free 
himself  from  the  galHng  saddle  and  the  cruel 
spurs,  the  horse  is  well-nigh  exhausted  and  will 
try  other  ways  of  getting  rid  of  his  burden, 
such  as  lying  down,  etc.  But  all  to  no  avail, 
the  process  is  kept  up  until  he  is  completely 
subdued  and  he  becomes  obedient  to  the  slight- 
est reining  of  the  rider.  Horses  of  the  more 
fractious  and  stubborn  nature  are  often  injured 
through  the  process  of  breaking  by  their  own 
struggles  or  by  the  unnecessary  cruelty  with 
which  some  riders  handle  them. 

God  never  willingly  afflicts  one  of  His  chil- 
dren, but  man  through  the  gratification  of  his 
own  desires,  injures  himself  both  soul  and 
body,  and  if  such  indulgence  is  persisted  in, 
the  body  is  soon  beyond  repair,  while  the  soul 
becomes  clouded  in  darkness  and  eventually 
takes  up  its  abode  with  the  myriads  of 
fallen  spirits  in  pandemonium.  It  is  God's 
plan  to  bring  man  into  subjection  to  His  will, 
but  He  does  it  through  mercy  and  the  tender 
wooing  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  if  a  man  re- 
sists those  gentle  pullings  upon  the  heart- 
strings, and,  like  the  horse  that  throws  its 
rider,  goes  his  own  way,  he  will  sooner  or  later 

4 


50 


FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 


find  that  he  has  no  restraint  upon  him  at  all, 
and  God  no  longer  talks  to  him. 

We  trust  that  our  readers  will  study  these 

pictures  well,  for  they  are  true  to  life,  and  out 

of  them  may  be  gleaned  truths  that  will  save 

the  soul  much  suffering  in  this  Hfe,  and  from 

.  endless  destruction. 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  51 

IN  YELLOWSTONE  PARK 


YELLOWSTONE  PARK  was  established 
by  the  government,  March  i,  1872.: 
Subsequently  a  forest  reserve  was 
added  on  the  east  and  south  sides.  The 
park  proper  is  about  sixty-four  miles  long 
from  north  to  south,  fifty-four  miles  wide, 
and  has  an  area  of  3,312  square  miles.  It 
is  mostly  in  northwestern  Wyoming,  with  a 
narrow  strip  each  in  Montana  and  Idaho.  *  *  * 
The  park  is  an  elevated  plateau  surrounded 
by  mountains,  and  has  an  average  elevation 
of  about  7,500  feet  above  sea  level.  Large 
streams  of  lava  have  spread  over  the  park, 
and  these  have  been  greatly  modified  by  glacial 
action  and  erosion."- 

The  above  facts  we  glean  from  a  descrip- 
tive pamphlet  issued  by  one  of  the  leading 
railroad  companies  of  the  Northwest.  It  is 
not  the  purpose  of  this  short  sketch  to  acquaint 
the  reader  with  the  historical  facts  relative  to 
the  park  or  to  attempt  to  give  him  even  a 
meager  description  of  this  wonderful  place  of 
interest.  Not  only  would  time  and  space  fail 
us  in  such  an  attempt,  but  we  fear  our  language 


52  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 

would  be  inadequate  to  do  justice  to  this  noted 
place,  where  God's  hand  seems  to  have  placed 
within  its  boundaries  so  much  to  attract  and 
interest  the  minds  of  thousands  of  tourists. 

The  Queen  of  Sheba  had  heard  much 
about  the  glory  and  magnificence  of  Solomon's 
kingdom,  but  on  traveling  a  long  distance  to 
see  for  herself,  she  exclaimed,  ''Behold,  the 
half  was  not  told  me/'  So  we  find  in  trying 
to  tell  of  some  of  nature's  beauty  spots,  words 
simply  fail  us.  Perhaps  no  other  place  in  all 
the  world  furnishes  such  a  wide  field  for 
nature-study,  recreation  and  delightsome  pas- 
time as  Yellowstone  Park.  Here  we  find  nature 
at  her  best.  The  large  stretches  of  forests, 
untracked  to  a  large  extent  by  the  foot  of  man, 
but  roamed  over  by  the  wild  beasts  of  the 
field,  cause  a  feeling  of  loneliness  to  come 
over  one  who  is  unaccustomed  to  such  sur- 
roundings. 

As  the  visitor  from  the  East  alights  from 
the  train,  perhaps  the  first  thing  that  brings 
forth  words  of  praise  and  admiration  are  the 
lofty  snow-capped  mountains  that  greet  the  eye 
on  every  side.  There  seems  to  be  no  end  to 
them  as  the  eye  follows  them  for  miles  and 
m.iles.  Truly  the  Creator  of  heaven  and  earth 
did  not  lack  for  material  in  piling  up  these 


PULPIT   TERRACE 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  55 

great  heaps  of  earth  and  stone.  We  are  re- 
minded of  His  magnanimity,  His  abundant 
love,  mercy  and  grace,  which  He  so  lavishly 
bestows  upon  His  children.  Then  the  atten- 
tion is  called  to  the  tall  and  stately  pine,  fir  and 
spruce  trees  that  cover  mountain  and  valley, 
again  showing  the  liberality  of  Him  who  giveth 
us  all  things  to  enjoy. 

''Yellowstone  Park  is  the  scenic  gem  of 
the  Great  West."  Well  might  it  be  called 
"Wonderland.''  The  startling  scenes  in  nat- 
ural phenomena  that  greet  one  on  every  hand 
are  awe-inspiring,  and  memories  of  them  ever 
linger  in  the  minds  of  those  who  are  so  fortu- 
nate as  to  look  upon  them.  Words  are  power- 
less when  one  experiences  the  overwhelming 
sensation  produced  by  a  first  glimpse  of  its 
wonders.  Its  rivers  and  valleys  are  among  the 
most  beautiful  in  the  world.  Among  its  rari- 
ties are  the  wonderful  geysers,  hot  springs,  ter- 
races and  the  grand  canon  of  the  Yellowstone 
River.  There  is  nothing  that  men  have  writ- 
ten that  is  adequately  descriptive  of  some  of 
these  beautiful  scenes  of  nature-harmony. 

Here  too,  is  the  only  place  where  the  pub- 
lic may  see  the  wild  animals  in  their  natural 
state.  The  animals  evince  little  timidity,  and 
it  is  not  an  uncommon  sight,  as  you  drive 


56  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 

along,  to  see  elk  or  deer  slaking  their  thirst 
in  the  stream  near  by.  Or  you  may  see  a  large 
bear  out  in  the  stream  taking  his  daily  bath. 

The  lover  of  nature  may  spend  days  and 
weeks  within  the  boundaries  of  this  noted  place 
and  never  tire  of  its  scenery.  As  he  drives 
along  in  stage  coach  the  landscape  is  ever 
changing.  The  experiences  of  each  new  day 
bring  their  charm  and  impressiveness.  From 
the  main  road  one  may  take  side  trips  into  the 
wilderness  and  look  upon  scenes  perhaps  never 
before  seen  by  the  eye  of  man.  ^ 

We  have  visited  'Wonderland,"  and  have 
made  mention,  in  our  weak  way  of  a  few  of  its 
attractive  features,  and  also  present  here  two 
views  of  its  scenery,  which  are  by  no  means  its 
most  beautiful  spots.  In  looking  upon  its 
scenery,  in  breathing  in  the  fresh,  pure  moun- 
tain air  or  fishing  in  its  clear  rippling  streams, 
we  wQve  thankful  to  God  who  provided  such  a 
place  where  one  may  go  and  be  entirely  separ- 
ated from  the  pomp  and  pride  of  modern  civi- 
lization and  be  alone  with  God  and  be  sur- 
rounded by  a  variety  of  scenery  not  found  else- 
where on  the  earth. 

But  after  all  how  many  do  we  meet  from 
whose  hearts  no  expressions  of  gratitude  come 
at  sight  of  these  things !     Some  people  only  see 


CLEOPATRA  TERRACE 


u.^ 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  59 

the  baser  things  of  the  world,  and  have  eyes 
that  are  blinded  to  those  things  that  are  in- 
tended to  make  them  think  of  God  and  heavenly 
things. 

Reader,  there  is  another  "Wonderland," 
as  yet  not  visited  by  mortal  man,  which,  for 
beauty  and  magnificence,  far  surpasses  any- 
thing on  earth.  We  are  told  about  it  in  the 
word  of  God.  We  enter  it  upon  parting  this 
life  provided  we  have  so  lived  as  to  be  qualified 
to  enter  its  pure  and  holy  precincts.  We  may, 
through  faith  and  obedience  to  God's  com- 
mands, get  glimpses  of  its  scenery  and  breathe 
the  air  wafted  to  us  from  its  heights  while  so- 
journing here  in  this  land,  and  then,  if  true  and 
faithful  unto  the  end,  enter  its  boundaries  to 
enjoy  its  realities  throughout  eternity.  At  the 
entrance  to  the  park  there  are  large  stone  gate- 
ways attended  by  men  employed  by  the  govern- 
ment. Here  one.  wishing  to  enter  and  make  a 
tour  of  the  park  must  gain  permission  before 
he  may  do  so.  He  is  not  questioned  as  to  his 
character,  occupation  or  anything  of  the  kind, 
but  is  simply  deprived  of  his  shooting  arms  and 
allowed  to  pursue  his  course.  But  how  dif- 
ferent and  how  stringent  are  the  qualifications 
for  entrance  into  this  other  land — the  heavenly 
land !     One  may  not  enter  except  his  heart  be 


6o 


FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 


cleansed  from  all  sin  that  his  whole  life  be  in 
perfect  harmony  with  that  which  is  within. 
Dear  reader,  if  you  would  enter  the  portals  of 
heaven  and  enjoy  throughout  eternity  those 
things  that  "eye  hath  not  seen,  nor  ear  heard, 
neither  have  entered  into  the  heart  of  man," 
forsake  sin  and  follow  the  Son  of  God  all  the 
way. 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  6i 


HOW  SHALL  WE  ESCAPE 


T 


HE  NATURAL  tendency  of  all  living 
organisms  is  to  degenerate  or  die. 
We  see  this  evidenced  all  about  us 
in  the  vegetable  kingdom.  Through  a 
process  of  cultivation,  vegetables  in  a  gar- 
den come  to  a  stage  of  maturity,  pro- 
duce their  fruit  and  die.  If  neglected  they  de- 
generate or  die  before  their  time.  In  the  west- 
ern states,  where  irrigation  is  necessary  to  pro- 
duce a  crop,  a  man  prepares  the  ground  and 
sows  the  seed.  In  due  time  the  tender  plants 
shoot  up  from  the  earth  and  attain  a  height  of 
several  inches  and  the  prospects  for  a  good 
crop  are  favorable.  The  natural  moisture  of 
the  ground  and  the  scant  rainfall  have  been 
sufficient  to  give  the  grain  a  good  start.  How- 
ever, the  time  arrives  for  the  irrigation  to 
begin.  Far  up  in  the  mountains,  fed  by  the 
melting  snows  of  the  preceding  winter,  is  a 
large  reservoir.  Canals  and  ditches  adequate 
for  conveying  the  water  to  the  grain  field  have 
already  been  made,  but  for  some  reason  the 
owner  of  the  field  neglects  to  turn  on  the  water. 
The  result  is,  the  ground  becomes  parched  un- 


62  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 

der  the  burning  rays  of  the  sun,  and  the  once 
flourishing  grain  dies  and  no  crop  is  produced. 
Only  one  thing  was  responsible,  and  that  was 
the  neglect  of  the  farmer  to  turn  on  the  water. 
To  illustrate  again.  A  garden  is  planted,  say 
with  strawberries  and  roses,  and  for  a  number 
of  years  is  left  alone.  When  we  visit  it  in  pro- 
cess of  time  we  find  that  it  has  run  to  waste. 
But  it  is  a  different  process  of  deterioration 
from  that  which  took  place  in  the  failure  to 
water  the  grain.  The  strawberries  and  roses 
have  not  died  out,  but  they  have  degenerated. 
The  strawberries  have  become  small,  and  the 
once  large,  fragrant  rose  has  lost  its  size  and 
beauty. 

The  same  thing  takes  place  in  the  case  of 
man.  If  he  neglects  himself  he  becomes  a 
worse  man  and  a  lower  man.  If  his  body  is 
neglected  and  not  exercised  he  will  become 
weak  and  emaciated.  If  his  mind  is  neglected, 
it  will  degenerate.  If  he  neglects  his  con- 
science he  will  run  off  into  sin  and  lawlessness. 
Nothing  escapes  death  and  decay  that  is  neg- 
lected. 

So  we  see  some  of  the  great  evils  that 
come  as  a  result  of  simple  neglect,  but  the  neg- 
lect which  brings  the  most  terrible  results,  is 
the  neglect  of  the  soul.     Our  text  says,  ''How 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  65 

shall  we  escape,  if  we  neglect  so  great  salva- 
tion ?"  The  Scriptures  do  not  take  the  trouble 
to  answer  the  question,  for  it  is  too  obvious. 
If  we  neglect  the  soul  with  this  universal  prin- 
ciple staring  us  in  the  face,  how  shall  we 
escape?  There  is  no  escape.  Atrophy,  de- 
generation and  death  are  inevitable.  Sin 
destroys  the  soul.  There  are  sins  of  commis- 
sion and  there  are  sins  of  omission.  But  the 
latter  class  of  sins  people  think  little  about. 
The  popular  impression  is  that  a  man  must  be 
an  open  and  notorious  sinner  in  order  to  be 
lost.  That  he  must  be  one  who  has  little  re- 
gard for  the  good  in  life  and  has  given  loose 
rein  to  the  evil  within  him.  But  this  scripture 
settles  the  question  that  if  a  man  simply  neg- 
lects his  soul  he  will  ultimately  be  lost.  If  we 
could  open  the  door  of  pandemonium  and  ask 
the  lost  souls  how  they  came  to  be  there  the 
great  cry  would  go  up,  'T  neglected  to  care  for 
my  soul  when  the  opportunity  was  offered." 
Oh,  how  they  would  strive  to  escape  torment 
if  they  were  permitted  to  live  on  the  earth 
again!  But  it  is- too  late  now,  and  they  must 
mourn  their  fate  forever. 

On  a  certain  railroad  in  the  Rocky  Moun- 
tains, two  large  cars  heavily  loaded  with  coal 

were  left  standing  at  the  station  of  L .  For 

5 


66  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 

fifty  or  sixty  miles  north  the  track  ran  down 
grade.  Without  any  assistance  from  man, 
the  cars  in  some  way  started  down  the  track, 
and  it  is  needless  to  say  they  were  soon  going  at 
a  rapid  rate  and  gaining  speed  every  moment. 
The  operator,  on  discovering  some  little  time 
later  that  they  were  gone,  telegraphed  the  sta- 
tion fifty  miles  distant  for  the  man  to  turn  the 
switch  and  run  the  cars  onto  a  siding,  but  he 
got  the  message  just  in  time  to  step  to  the  door 
and  see  the  cars  dash  by.  They  continued  on 
their  mad  career  a  few  miles  farther  and 
crashed  into  an  oncoming  train,  killing  the  en- 
gineer and  fireman  and  injuring  others.  What 
caused  the  trouble?  Neglect.  The  trainman 
that  left  the  cars  standing  failed  to  secure  the 
brakes  properly,  and  perhaps  nothing  more 
than  a  gust  of  wind,  or  the  vibration  caused  by 
a  passing  train  was  necessary  to  start  them  on 
their  road  to  destruction.  But  they  ran  their 
course  and  you  see  the  result. 

Reader,  do  you  know  that  people  are  like 
those  cars?  Every  unconverted  sinner  is  on 
the  down  grade  and  his  speed  is  increasing 
moment  by  moment.  Before  him  is  destruc- 
tion. He  may  not  go  much  farther  ere  the 
terrible  crash  comes  and  all  hopes  of  his  soul's 
welfare    be    shattered.      It    lies    within    his 


t 


i 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  69 

power  to  stop.  Had  there  been  a  man  on  the 
cars  he  could  have  set  the  brakes  and  brought 
them  to  a  standstill,  but  some  other  powerful 
agency  would  have  been  necessary  to  take  them 
back  up  the  grade.  Just  so  can  a  man  put  the 
brakes  on  his  evil  life  and  stop  his  downward 
trend,  but  that  unseen  power  imparted  by  the 
Son  of  God  must  be  utilized  for  him  to  make 
the  great  ascent  from  earth  to  heaven.  Which 
way  are  you  traveling? 

The  natural  man  has  a  bias  toward  sin,  and 
like  that  mysterious  force  called  gravitation,  it 
pulls  downward.  By  another  force,  that  of 
attraction,  he  may  be  drawn  upward  if  he  sub- 
mits himself  to  the  will  of  God.  But  he  who  neg- 
lects, how  shall  he  escape?  If  a  man  falls  into 
the  sea  he  is  most  likely  to  drown  if  he  has  neg- 
lected to  learn  to  swim.  Again,  if  a  man  has 
swallowed  poison  he  has  but  to  neglect  taking 
the  antedote  and  he  will  die.  So  man  is  poi- 
soned by  sin.  In  this  ''great  salvation"  God  has 
provided  a  remedy  for  all  his  ailments,  both 
physical  and  spiritual.  He  does  not  have  to 
blaspheme  the  name  of  God  or  denounce  Chris- 
tianity publicly,  or  be  a  great  sinner  in  order  to 
be  lost,  but  simply  neglect  to  make  use  of  the 
remedy.  You  may  just  go  on  as  you  have  been 
going  from  day  to  day  and  from  week  to  week, 


70  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 

continue  to  attend  church  services,  if  you 
please,  dress  Hke  the  world  and  talk  like  the 
world,  and  if  you  do  not  some  day  find  yourself 
in  the  confines  of  the  eternally  lost,  then  our 
text  means  nothing.  But  it  is  the  word  of 
God.  ESCAPE !  Why  you  had  as  well  be- 
lieve a  man  would  escape  death  who  refuses  to 
breathe  or  feed  his  body  as  for  him  to  escape 
hell  if  he  neglcts  salvation. 

Some  of  you  have  been  neglecting  for  a 
long  time.  You  realize  your  lost  condition, 
your  downward  trend,  but  you  have  not 
stopped.  In  the  distance  you  see  trouble  and 
despair.  You  are  fearful  of  the  future.  There 
are  times  when  you  feel  resolved  to  stop  short 
and  go  to  seeking  God,  but  still  you  neglect. 
You  are  neglecting  to  confess  your  sins,  you 
are  neglecting  to  make  wrongs  right,  you  are 
neglecting  to  go  to  the  altar  and  put  yourself 
on  record  as  a  seeker  after  God.  For  the  sake 
of  your  immortal  soul  and  for  the  sake  of 
friends  and  loved  ones,  and  for  Jesus'  sake  set- 
tle this  question  before  it  is  forever  too  late. 
But  I  hear  some  of  you  say,  ''Some  other  day," 
"There  is  plenty  of  time,"  etc.  To-day  is  the 
day,  neglect  it  and  you  may  never  have  an- 
other. Those  who  are  now  in  the  lost  world 
would    want    but    a    moment  to    decide    this 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN 


71 


question.  How  eagerly  they  would  accept  the 
first  opportunity  to  get  salvation,  but  they  neg- 
lected their  souls  when  on  earth  and  how  shall 
you  escape  their  fate  ? 


/- 


FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 


THE  WESTERN   BRONCO 


THERE  is  no  place  where  the  horse  seems 
more  at  home  than  on  the  range  of  the 
Rocky  Mountain  states.  Our  picture 
shows  a  small  band  of  horses  in  their  semi-wild 
state  in  southern  Montana.  Here  among  the 
rolling  foQthills,  feeding  upon  the  succulent 
buffalo  or  bunch  grass,  they  become  strong, 
fleet-footed  and  exceedingly  active,  insomuch 
tha:t  it  is  sometimes  difficult  for  man  to  bring 
them  under  control.  Even  in  the  winter  time 
when  the  blizzards  are  raging  and  the  snows 
are  piling  up,  they  make  a  good  living  without 
the  assistance  of  man,  and  seem  to  fear  noth- 
ing, except  it  be  the  "horse-wrangler,"  who 
may  at  any  time  ride  up,  inspect  their  brand, 
give  a  few  piercing  yells  and  start  them  off  on 
a  fifteen  or  twenty-mile  run  to  the  corral. 

Of  course  in  the  more  rugged  districts  and 
farther  back  in  the  mountains,  the  process  of 
corralling  horses  is  somewhat  different.  Here 
they  become  more  afraid  of  man,  and  to  ap- 
proach within  distance  to  get  a  picture  like  the 
one  following  would  be  exceedingly  difficult 
and  would  require  much  strategy.     However, 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  73 

with  the  different  methods  of  capturing  the 
wild  horse,  few  of  them  escape  the  corral  or 
the  lariat.  There  are  many  sections  of  coun- 
try where  these  horses  are  so  fearful  of  man 
that  to  approach  within  less  than  a  mile  of  them 
is  difficult,  except  it  be  to  come  upon  them  una- 
wares from  behind  a  hill.  Therefore  to  have 
any  success  corralling  them  it  is  necessary  to 
have  from  six  to  ten  well-mounted  and  expe- 
rienced horsemen  who  encircle  the  section  of 
country  frequented  by  several  bands,  which 
may  consist  of  eight  to  twenty  head  each. 

By  the  time  the  riders  have  reached  the 
limit  of  their  circle,  some  of  the  horses  here 
and  there  on  the  mountains  have  espie^  them, 
and  either  stand  watching,  as  if  contemplating 
which  direction  to  run,  or  else  they  have  al- 
ready made  a  break  for  the  high  and  more  dis- 
tant mountains.  And  it  is  needless  to  say  that 
in  most  every  roimd-up  of  this  kind,  some  of 
the  bands  led  by  some  particular  wily  and  fleet- 
footed  stallion,  make  good  their  escape.  Those 
remaining  in  the  circle  are  closed  in  upon  by 
the  riders  and  started  towards  the  corral,  and 
by  the  time  the  valley  or  flat  is  reached,  the 
different  bands  have  come  together,  and  a  sin- 
gle band  of  150  to  300  head,  and  under  good 
control,  is  the  result. 


74  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 

But  all  this  is  much  easier  and  quicker 
told  than  done.  However,  there  is  no  greater 
excitement,  or  work  more  fascinating  to  the 
young  westerner  than  that  of  corralling  the 
wild  horse.  It  requires  endurance,  fearless- 
ness and  horsemanship,  and  great  danger  is 
often  involved,  but  we  have  seen  few  cowboys 
and  horse-wranglers  who  were  not  always 
ready  to  join  a  horse  round-up. 

From  the  time  the  saddle  band  is  driven 
in  from  the  field  in  the  morning  and  each  rider 
has  selected  his  mount  for  the  day,  there  is 
"something  doin'."  ^  Some  of  the  saddle  horses 
have  perhaps  been  used  but  little,  and  were 
themselves  a  short  time  previous,  running 
wild  over  the  plains,  and  they  have  to  be  las- 
soed, and  maybe  have  one  foot  tied  up  or  other 
advantages  taken,  in  order  to  get  the  saddle 
on  them.  And  when  mounted,  the  chances  are 
many  for  them  to  go  bucking,  rearing  and 
plunging  across  the  prairie,  while  one  or  two 
inexperienced  riders  may  be  seen  to  pick  them- 
selves up  from  the  ground,  have  their  horses 
re-caught  and  another  attempt  made.  But  it 
is  not  long  until  the  riders  in  small  groups  of 
two  or  four  may  be  seen  making  their  way  to- 
ward the  tops  of  the  high  ridges  some  ten  or 
fifteen  miles  away.     Their  mounts  are  spared 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  yy 

as  much  as  possible  going  out  and  are  not  rid- 
den out  of  a  walk,  but  when  the  point  of  closing 
in  upon  the  wild  horses  is  reached,  all  is  sud- 
denly changed.  The  men  no  longer  ride  side 
by  side,  but  separate  and  dash  off  in  different 
directions,  each  bent  on  gaining  control  of  some 
fleeing  band.  Some  of  the  older  horses  that 
acted  sleepy  and  worn  out  coming  up  the  hill 
and  needed  urging  and  spurring  then,  act  dif- 
ferent now.  The  same  spirit  that  possesses 
their  riders,  seems  to  animate  every  fiber  of 
their  being,  and  with  champing  bit  and  wide 
extended  nostrils  they  eagerly  join  the  chase. 
On  they  go,  up  hill  and  down  hill,  over  stones 
and  sage  brush,  stopping  for  nothing,  but  here 
and  there  swerving  to  one  side  to  avoid  a 
badger  hole,  the  extreme  dread  of  both  horse 
and  rider. 

Occasionally  the  sharp  crack  of  a  six- 
shooter  may  be  heard  and  the  dust  is  seen  to 
rise  just  in  front  of  some  fleeing  band  that 
seems  bent  on  getting  away.  This  is  done  to 
check  them  and  turn  their  course  when  the 
rider  finds  himself  at  a  disadvantage  in  head- 
ing them.  It  sometimes  happens  that  the  fleeing 
horses  are  on  the  opposite  side  of  a  deep  ravine 
from  the  rider  and  are  about  to  reach  some 
point  of  advantage  along  a  regular  trail  that 


78  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 

has  served  them  in  making  their  escape  many 
times  before.  On  some  occasions  the  escap- 
ing horses  refuse  to  turn  and  will  almost  run 
over  a  rider,  and  when  once  past  him  and  on 
the  hill  above,  they  are  usually  free,  so  far  as 
that  day's  round-up  is  concerned.  Here  is 
where  the  patience  of  the  horse-wrangler  is 
tried,  and  if  the  horse  leading  the  escaping 
band  should  be  one  that  is  especially  noted  for 
his  bold  dashes  for  liberty,  no  matter  how  fine 
a  horse  he  may  be  or  whose  brand  he  carries, 
he  stands  an  excellent  chance  of  having  his 
hide  pierced  with  a  ball  from  a  six-shooter, 
if  he  should  happen  to  be  dealing  with,  one  who 
has  little  regard  for  the  life  of  a  beast. 

But  at  last  the  ride  is  finished  and  the  gate 
of  the  strong,  high  corral  closes  behind  the 
horses,  who  go  circling  around  if  perchance 
they  might  find  a  weak  place  that  offers  a  way 
to  liberty.  On  the  outside  stand  the  brave  lit- 
tle saddle  horses,  with  heaving  sides  and  coats 
white  with  foam.  On  the  fence  are  the  riders 
talking  over  the  day's  ride  and  examining  the 
horses  within.  Next,  a  fire  is  kindled  in  which 
are  placed  the  branding  irons  and  the  process 
of  branding  begins.  The  young  colt  is  "spot- 
ted" by  the  side  of  its  mother,  lassoed  and 
thrown  and  the  hot  iron  is  applied  to  its  thigh 


COWBOY  IN  CORRAL 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  8i 

or  shoulder,  and  a  mark  is  left  that  it  carries 
to  the  end  of  life.  The  horses  desired  for 
breaking  or  to  be  sold  are  lassoed  and  tied  up, 
or  separated  into  another  enclosure,  and  the 
main  band  is  again  set  at  liberty. 

But  the  treatment  the  colts  and  others  of 
the  band  receive  in  the  corral  they  never  for- 
get and  learn  to  dread  the  contact  with  man 
and  his  criiel  lariat  and  hot  iron  until  they  are 
eventually  broken  and  conquered  and  have  be- 
come gentle  and  obedient. 

When  rightly  handled  the  wildest  and 
most  vicious  of  these  horses  of  the  plains  be- 
come most  gentle  and  useful,  and  for  carrying 
a  man  day  after  day,  or  drawing  vehicles,  they 
are  unexcelled.  Yet  there  is  found  an  oc- 
casional one  that  it  seems  impossible  to  rid  of 
his  bucking  proclivities  and  such  an  one  is 
either  turned  loose  to  roam  the  range  at  will  or 
is  kept  about  the  ranch  for  the  boys  to  practice 
on.  The  appellation  "outlaw"  is  given  him, 
and  from  henceforth  he  is  regarded  with  sus- 
picion. Perhaps  every  possible  means  has 
been  employed  to  tame  him  and  many  different 
"bronco  busters"  have  tried  their  methods  on 
him,  but  all  to  no  avail.  With  each  attempt 
he  probably  becomes  worse.  While  such  a 
horse  may  not  be  able  to  unseat  his  rider,  his 

6 


82  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 

riders  also  fail  to  take  all  the  meanness  out  of 
him  and  have  to  give  it  up.  It  is  often  the 
case  that  svich  a  horse  will  allow  himself  to  be 
saddled  and  mounted  with  little  difficulty  and 
may  carry  his  rider  for  many  miles  over  the 
hills  without  showing  a  bad  spirit,  but  sud- 
denly, and  on  some  steep  hillside,  the  spirit  of 
the  evil  one  seems  to  possess  him,  and  away  he 
goes,  bucking  and  plunging  down  the  hill,  and 
the  rider  who  found  it  easy  to  retain  his  seat 
while  he  was  bucking  on  the  level  ground,  now 
finds  that  he  has  to  "ride  some"  if  he  is  so 
fortunate  as  to  "stay"  at  all. 

How  well  does  a  horse  of  this  nature  re- 
minds us  of  people  we  meet.  There  are  those 
who  cannot  be  tamed,  so  to  speak,  and  brought 
into  subjection  to  the  will  of  God.  They  re- 
fuse to  have  the  wild,  or  carnal  nature  eradi- 
cated, and  they  become  "outlaws,"  and  are  a 
curse  to  humanity  instead  of  being  a  blessing. 
Yet  they  were  not  always  so.  That  coarse, 
rough-featured  man  you  see  yonder,  rushing 
into  sin  and  giving  loose  rein  to  evil  passions, 
was  once  an  innocent  little  boy  with  flaxen 
curls  and  unclouded  brow,  playing  about  his 
mother's  knee,  and  could  be  guided  whitherso- 
ever she  willed.  But  time  went  on,  young 
manhood    was    reached,  liberties    were  taken, 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  83 

and  soon  the  restraining  hand  of  mother  or 
father  was  no  longer  felt.  Conscience,  too, 
was  silenced,  and  the  result  is  a  wild  and  reck- 
less man,  doting  over  what  he  calls  liberty. 

But  the  father-heart  of  God  is  touched  at 
such  a  sad  picture  and  He  sends  His  messen- 
gers out  over  the  world  to  bring  the  wander- 
ers into  His  fold.  Many  are  rounded  up,  as 
it  were,  and  brought  into  the  congregation  of 
the  righteous  and  the  Holy  Spirit  begins  to 
work  on  them.  God  is  merciful  and  of  great 
kindness.  He  w^hispers  softly  to  the  youth: 
''Son  give  me  thine  heart."  If  the  voice  is 
obeyed,  the  young  man  is  instructed  and  be- 
comes trained  in  the  Christian  warfare  and 
goes  out  as  a  messenger  to  wandering  ones. 
But  if  he  resists  and  refuses  to  be  subdued, 
like  the  ''outlaw"  bronco  on  the  western  plains, 
he  becomes  a  mere  cumberer  of  the  ground, 
and  will  sooner  or  later  take  the  final  leap  over 
the  terrible  precipice.  How  numerous  are 
such  characters  in  the  land  to-day.  Many  of 
them  in  religious  circles,  too,  and  associated 
with  God's  true  people.  They  run  well  for 
a  time  and  manifest  no  ill  spirit,  but  suddenly 
they  take  matters  in  their  own  hands,  throw  off 
all  restraint  and  fly  off  on  a  tangent  some- 
where,  vainly  hoping  to  retain   God's   favor 


84  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 

and  blessing,  but  their  sad  end  will  be  manifest 
to  all,  except  they  become  obedient  to  the  will 
of  God. 

There  is  another  peculiar  thing  about 
these  ''outlaw"  horses.  They  are  often  al- 
lowed to  run  with  a  regular  saddle  band,  and 
having  been  ridden  some  and  become  saddle- 
marked,  they  have  all  the  appearance  of  being 
regular  saddle  horses,  and  one  is  sometimes 
saddled  and  mounted  by  mistake  by  some  one 
who  may  not  be  able  to  ride  well.  The  result 
of  course  is  a  fall  and  possibly  an  injury.  So 
it  is  with  the  rebellious  or  disobedient  person. 
Though  having  failed  to  measure  up  to  God's 
requirements,  he  goes  on  wath  an  empty  pro- 
fession and  his  forms  of  religion,  and  many 
honest,  though  unwary  souls  are  deceived 
thereby.  "The  heart  is  deceitful  above  all 
things,  and  desperately  wicked:  who  can 
know  it?"  People  mount  the  wild  horse,  as  it 
were,  who  carries  them  along  very  pleasantly 
for  a  time,  but  little  do  they  realize  their 
danger.  They  are  destined  to  be  carried  down 
the  steep  incline  where  the  jagged  rocks  of 
heresies  and  devil-delusions  await  to  receive 
them.  Thus  maimed  and  crippled,  they  go 
through  life.  Living,  yet  dead.  Dead  to  the 
voice  of  God,  to  the  entreaties  of  friends  and 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  87 

loved  ones,  and  to  all  reason.  ''Wandering 
stars''  are  they,  visited  by  strange  hallucina- 
tions and  peculiar  visions,  and  ''to  whom  is  re- 
served the  blackness  of  darkness  forever." 
Backsliders  from  God,  "raging  waves  of  the 
sea,  foaming  out  their  own  shame."  Oh,  the 
terrible  examples  of  rebellion  and  disobedience 
there  are  on  every  hand  to-day! 

"Rebellion  is  as  the  sin  of  witchcraft,  and 
stubbornness  is  as  iniquity  and  idolatry.  Be- 
cause thou  hast  rejected  the  word  of  the  Lord, 
he  hath  also  rejected  thee."  Because  of  Saul's 
rebellion,  disobedience  and  stubbornness,  God 
rejected  him.  His  wild  and  self-chosen  course 
eventually  led  him  to  seek  aid  from  one  who 
had  a  "familiar  spirit,"  a  thing  he  himself  had 
previously  denounced,  and  he  had  caused  to  be 
put  to  death  those  who  practiced  witchcraft. 
Thus  did  he,  through  rebellion  and  disobedi- 
ence, still  the  voice  of  God  to  his  soul.  But 
his  religious  nature  still  craved  some  manifes- 
tation of  the  supernatural.  He  could  not  be 
satisfied  without  some  token  from  the  unseen 
world,  and  since  God  had  ceased  to  talk  to  him, 
the  spirits  from  the  under  world  began  to  oper- 
ate. The  account  of  his  ignominious  death  is 
familiar  to  all. 

Instance  after  instance  could  be  cited  in 


88 


FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 


the  Bible  of  where  people  disobeyed  God,  and 
stubbornness  and  rebellion  became  the  ruling 
principle  in  their  lives,  and  they  suffered  terri- 
ble consequences.  These  sad  reflections  are 
warnings  to  us  lest  we  take  a  similar  course. 
With  God's  face  turned  away  and  His  voice  no 
longer  heard,  the  lives  of  those  who  have  failed 
to  become  submissive  in  His  hands,  go  out  in 
darkness  and  despair.  Reader,  look  well  to 
thy  course  lest  thou  too  be  found  among  the 
fallen  at  that  last  great  day  of  reckoning. 


K^ 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  89 

TRAINING  FOR  SERVICE 


IN  our  last  chapter  we  gave  a  description  of 
a  horse  round-up  on  the  Western  plains, 
the  process  of  handling  them,  etc.,  and 
dealt  especially  with  the  "outlaw/'  or  the  horse 
that  never  becomes  completely  subdued.  Tn  this 
chapter  we  also  have  something  to  say  of  west- 
ern horses,  but  rather  with  those  that  are 
trained  for  special  work.  However,  we  hope 
to  impress  upon  our  readers  some  important 
spiritual  lessons,  otherwise  we  would  use  our 
time  and  this  space  to  some  other  purpose. 

The  team  of  six  in  our  illustration 
drawing  the  stage-coach,  once  roamed  at  will 
the  range,  galloping  over  the  highest  moun- 
tains, defying  the  fleet-footed  pony,  and  his 
rider  with  his  cruel  lariat.  They  did  not  range 
together,  however,  but  one  in  this  band  and  an- 
other in  that,  and  in  different  sections  of  the 
country,  and  bore  brands  of  various  owners. 
But  at  last  their  day  comes  and  they  fall  vic- 
tims to  the  round-up  and  are  brought  in  from 
their  coveted  haunts  and  put  through  the  pro- 
cess of  breaking. 

The  horse  desired  for  breaking  is  usually 


90  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 

separated  from  all  others  into  an  enclosure  by 
himself.  A  man  enters  the  enclosure  with  a 
lariat,  at  sight  of  which  the  frightened  horse 
goes  circling  round  the  corral.  This  very  act 
insures  his  speed}^  capture,  for  out  shoots  the 
lariat,  the  noose  encircles  his  fore  feet,  a  quick 
jerk  is  given  and  he  falls  heavily  upon  his  side 
where  he  is  held  until  a  ''hackamore,"  or 
halter,  is  put  on  him.  The  foot  rope  is  then 
removed  and  he  is  on  his  feet  almost  instantly. 
Thinking  he  is  again  free,  he  makes  a  bold 
dash  across  the  corral,  but  is  brought  to  a 
sudden  stop  by  the  strong  halter  rope,  a  few 
turns  of  which  have  been  taken  around  a  sub- 
stantial post.  After  a  few  unsuccessful  at- 
tempts to  break  away,  and  with  his  neck  made 
stiff  by  the  sudden  jerks  it  has  received,  he 
soon  learns  that  it  is  better  to  yield  and  be  led 
about  than  it  is  to  resist.  Would  that  men  in 
God's  school  of  discipline  would  act  as  wasely 
when  chastened  for  their  resistance,  as  do 
some  of  these  wild  horses. 

In  training  men  for  His  service,  the  Lord 
throws  out  His  lasso  of  truth  and  would  gently 
draw  them  to  himself,  but  many  pull  back  and 
''kick  against  the  pricks,"  and  if  they  are 
brought  in  subjection  at  all  the  most  strenuous 
means  often  have-  to  be  resorted  to.     Saul  of 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  93 

Tarsus,  the  proud  and  learned  Pharisee  and 
persecutor  of  the  Christians,  at  last  saw  the 
folly  of  pulling  against  God's  Spirit,  but  it  was 
not  until  he  had  been  stricken  to  the  earth  with- 
an  exceeding  great  light  from  heaven  that  he 
realized  what  he  was  doing.  Saul  was  a  Jew 
and  full  of  prejudice  toward  the  Christ  of  Cal- 
vary and  His  humble  followers,  and  it  was 
necessary  that  extraordinary  means  be  em- 
ployed to  convince  him  of  the  truth.  But  in 
this  enlightened  age  men  do  not  need  to  wait 
for  such  manifestations  to  reveal  the  fact  that 
they  are  pulling  against  God's  Spirit,  yet  mul- 
titudes plunge  blindly  on  in  their  self-chosen 
courses  in  the  glare  of  all  the  light  that  shines 
from  the  sacred  page  and  the  lives  of  holy  men 
and  women  down  the  ages.  Saul  at  last  had 
his  wild  and  reckless  nature  subdued  and  be- 
came one  of  God's  most  obedient  servants,  and 
no  other  preacher  since  has  been  such  a  bless- 
ing to  the  world  as  he. 

But  to  return  to  our  bronco.  If  we  would 
fit  him  to  be  one  of  a  team  to  draw  U.  S.  mail, 
and  passengers,  including  irritable  women  and 
helpless  children,  over  the  Rockies  and  along 
roads  that  overlook  precipitous  bluffs  and 
deep,  yawning  canons,  we  must  first  take  him 
through  a  careful  course  of  training  and  find 


94  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 

out  whether  he  is  sufficient  for  such  work. 
From  the  corral  he-  is  led  or  forced  into 
the  barn  and  placed  in  a  narrow  box  stall. 
Perhaps  this  is  enough  for  his  first  day's  train- 
ing and  he  is  left  for  the  morrow,  when  he  is 
introduced  to  a  set  of  harness.  Though  he 
jumps  and  snorts  and  kicks,  the  buckles  and 
straps  are  made  secure.  He  is  then  tied  along- 
side of  a  good,  gentle  work  horse  *  and  led 
forth  to  the  heavy  farm  wagon,  to  which  he 
is  gently,  though  often  with  difficulty,  hitched. 
When  this  is  accomplished  the  men  take  their 
places  in  the  high  spring  seat.  And  expe- 
rienced drivers  they  must  be,  too.  Men  who 
have  had  no  experience  with  broncos  would 
better  stand  aloof  for  a  while  and  see  how  they 
perform.  Before  us  is  the  road  leading  out 
onto  the  wide,  open  prairie.  A  word  is  spoken 
or  a  slight  touch  is  given  the  gentle  horse  and 
everything  is  on  the  move.  The  bronco  rears, 
plunges  and  starts  across  the  country  at  a 
speed  that  would  leave  a  city  fire  wagon  an- 
swering a  hurry-up  call  in  the  distance.  The 
driver  calmly  retains  his  seat,  his  main  object 
for  the  present  being  to  steer  clear  of  danger- 
ous places,  such  as  ravines  and  ditches,  and 
not  caring  so  much  as  to  how  fast  he  goes. 
Meanwhile,  of  course,  he  is  pulling  on  the  lines, 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  97 

which,  however,  has  little  effect  upon  the 
bronco  only  as  the  gentle  horse  yields  and 
steers  the  wagon  aright  by  pulling  or  pushing 
against  the  bronco  as  the  case  may  be.  A  few 
miles  and  return  is  considered  enough  for  the 
first  time  and  the  bronco  is  again -put  in  his 
stall,  but  the  bit  in  his  mouth  has  done  its 
work  in  spite  of  his  running  and  jumping  and 
the  next  time  he  is  driven  he  is  more  careful 
how  he  goes  against  it.  If  he  is  an  average 
horse  in  point  of  obedience  and  aptness  for 
learning,  and  has  shown  no  particularly  bad  or 
stubborn  traits,  after  several  drives  such  as 
the  above,  he  may  be  considered  safe  to  hitch 
to  a  hay  wagon  or  mowing  machine,  and  when 
the  large  hay  crop  is  harvested  he  is  a  much 
changed  horse  from  the  one  brought  in  from 
the  range  a  few  weeks  before.  After  a  good, 
long  course  of  general  farm  and  road  work, 
and  by  careful  handling,  the  stage  operator 
may  see  fit  to  purchase  him.  For  use  in  the 
heavy  freight  team  a  horse  need  not  be  so  well 
broken  to  start  with.  Here  he  may  try  as  he 
may  and  there  will  be  little  fear  of  his  doing 
any  damage  by  his  attempts  to  run  away,  since 
the  load  behind  him  may  consist  of  many  tons 
of  ore  or  heavy  machinery. 

Just  as  these     wild     horses     are     taken 
7 


98  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 

through  various  processes  and  put  to  different 
kinds  of  work  before  they  can  be  trusted  to 
draw  the  pleasure  carriage  or  stage  coach,  so 
must  he  whom  God  wishes  to  use  for  a  special 
work  submit  himself  to  a  rigid  discipline  and 
be  thoroughly  proved  before  he  can  be  trusted 
to  fill  a  place  of  responsibility  in  His  vineyard. 
Experience  has  taught  the  westerner  that  it 
would  not  do  to  take  one  of  these  horses  right 
off  the  range  and  hitch  him  to  a  light  carriage. 
It  would  not  be  worth  much  after  a  few  miles 
run  over  stones  and  through  sage  brush.  The 
apostles  were  taken  from  their  fishing  nets 
and  followed  close  in  the  steps  of  Jesus  for 
three  years  before  He  left  them  with  the  re- 
sponsibility of  preaching  the  Gospel  to  all  the 
world.  The  effect  of  their  lives  upon  the 
whole  world  is  proof  of  the  training  they  re- 
ceived. God  has  His  school  to-day  for  turn- 
ing out  disciples  and  it  may  not  necessarily 
be  a  modern  college  or  school  of  oratory,  but 
it  is  a  school  of  obedience,  faith  and  heart-felt 
experience. 

But  of  all  the  traits  or  instincts  that  are 
common  to  the  horse  of  the  plains  there  is  one 
that  stands  out  preeminently  above  all  the  rest. 
And  that  is  his  ever-present  longing  or  home- 
sickness  for  the  place  of  his  birth  and  the 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  99 

haunts  where  he  spent  his  early  years  of  free- 
dom. Though  he  may  be  kept  on  the  ranch 
for  years  and  run  in  the  finest  meadow,  or  be 
kept  in  the  barn  and  fed  on  the  choicest  grain 
and  receive  the  best  of  treatment,  he  has  but  to 
see  the  open  gate  or  the  weak  place  in  the  fence 
and  he  is  gone  to  the  far  distant  mountains 
to  feed  upon  the  sweet  grass  that  grows  there 
and  to  drink  of  the  cool  waters  that  come  roll- 
ing down  the  canon.  Miles  and  miles  will 
these  horses  travel  when  they  break  away  from 
the  herd  in  the  night-time  or  escape  from  the 
field  in  which  they  are  kept,  that  they  might  re- 
turn to  their  native  haunts.  If  their  owner 
knows  where  they  had  previously  ranged  he 
goes  at  once  to  that  locality  and  he  is  not  long 
in  finding  them.  Men,  too,  experience  a  sim- 
ilar homesickness.  Those  who  have  spent 
years  on  the  plains  following  the  herds  and 
have  then  gone  to  the  city  in  the  East  to  live 
have  this  feeling  come  over  them  at  times  until 
they  almost  abhor  the  noise  and  bustle  of  city 
life  and  would  gladly  flee  to  the  plains.  Es- 
pecially is  this  feeling  most  irresistible  in  the 
springtime  when  the  lowing  of  the  cattle  may 
be  heard  as  they  follow  the  trail  and  nibble 
here  and  there  at  the  tender  grass  shooting 
forth. 


100  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 

But  we  want  to  speak  to  our  readers  about 
another  homesickness  which  no  doubt  many  of 
you  have  experienced.  And  that  is  a  home- 
sickness for  God.  The  prodigal  son  had  tliis 
homesickness,  when  in  the  swine  pens  his  mind 
reverted  to  former  scenes  and  he  recalled  the 
happy  years  spent  in  that  home  of  plenty. 
Such  an  intense  desire  came  over  him  that  he 
immediately  arose  and  tramped  the  long  dis- 
tance over  the  dusty  road  to  his  fat'.icr's  house, 
and  he  was  received  gladly.  You  who  are  a 
backslider  from  God  can  recall  the  ha])py  days 
'and  months  spent  in  fellowship  with  the  Lord 
and  His  children — when  you  were  led  in  green 
pastures  and  beside  still  waters  in  the  land  of 
freedom.  How  you  long  for  those  happy 
days  to  come  again,  that  the  heavenly  Father's 
love  may  once  more  be  lavished  upon  you  and 
you  receive  the  kiss  of  pardon.  Ah,  but  you 
are  bound!  Like  the  horse  encased  in  his  har- 
ness and  held  with  the  bit,  you  arc  bound  by 
the  chains  of  sin  and  the  enemy  has  a  hedge 
about  you  to  hold  you  in  his  serxicc.  But 
thank  God,  you  may  be  free.  You  may  again 
return  to  your  Father's  house  and  join  in  the 
music  and  dancing.  But  it  will  take  a  "Strenu- 
ous effort  on  your  part.  There  may  be  con- 
fessions to  make  and  wrongs  to  set  right  which 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN 


lOI 


will  require  all  the  courage  you  can  summon, 
but  God  will  meet  you  half  way  and  receive 
you  to  himself,  and  you  will  again  rejoice  in 
the  liberty  of  the  children  of  God.  But  bear 
in  mind  reader,  that  no  matter  how  intense  the 
desire  for  God  and  heavenly  things  may  be, 
your  soul  will  remain  unsatisfied  if  you  refuse 
to  surrender  your  will  to  the  Lord  and  fail  to 
walk  in  His  law.  "If  the  Son  therefore  shall 
make  you  free,  ye  shall  be  free  indeed." 


I02  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 


ENDURANCE 


ENDURANCE  IS  ONE  of  the  most  neces- 
sary elements  of  the  Christian  charac- 
ter. To  endure  unto  the  end  means  to 
be  eternally  saved.  Though  a  man  do  exploits 
and  perform  many  deeds  of  righteousness,  if  he 
fails  in  the  critical  moment  and  does  not  endure 
unto  the  end  he  will  be  eternally  lost.  ' 

In  the  physical  man,  strength  is  deter- 
mined by  what  he  can  endure  and  not  by  any 
feat  he  may  be  able  to  perform.  He  may  be 
able  to  run  swiftly,  or  to  execute  many  of  the 
exercises  in  the  art  of  calisthenics  in  a  graceful 
and  dexterous  manner,  but  unless  he  keeps  up 
those  movements  of  the  body  that  are  calcu- 
lated to  produce  muscle  and  hardness,  he  will 
remain  a  weakling  and  will  utterly  fail  in  his 
efforts  to  become  strong.  Such  an  one  may 
not  hope  to  bear  off  the  laurels  in  an  endurance 
race,  or  to  make  a  living  where  he  would  be 
compelled  to  handle  a  pick  and  shovel  from 
eight  to  ten  hours  a  day. 

In  the  parable  of  the  sower  we  have  four 
classes  of  people  represented.  In  the  first  in- 
stance the  people  allowed  Satan  to  come  im- 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  103 

mediately  and  take  away  the  word  that  was 
sown  in  their  hearts  The  second  class  of  hear- 
ers were  those  who  received  the  word  immedi- 
ately and  with  gladness  of  heart,  but  having  no 
root  within  themselves,  they  endured  but  for 
a  time.  When  persecution  and  affliction  came 
they  were  offended  and  gave  up  the  struggle. 

Then  there  was  the  class  represented  by 
the  seed  that  was  sown  among  thorns.  They 
too,  heard  the  word,  but  "the  cares  of  this 
world,  and  the  deceitfulness  of  riches,  and  the 
lusts  of  other  things  entering  in,  choke  the 
word,"  and  their  destiny  is  sealed. 

How  strikingly  is  the  truth  of  this  parable 
of  the  sower  illustrated  in  the  religious  world 
to-day!  In  fact,  in  all  ages  there  have  been 
those  who  started  well,  ran  swiftly  for  a  time, 
were  a  blessing  in  the  world,  but  like  the  stony 
and  thorny-ground  hearers,  they  endured  but 
a  short  time,  took  a  side-track, — one  that  was 
a  little  easier, — drifted  with  the  world  and  lost 
their  souls.  Nevertheless,  some  fell  on  good 
ground  and  brought  forth  friiit  abundantly, 
and  just  as  truly  will  there  be  a  few  in  this  day 
and  age  of  the  world  who  will  hear  the  word 
and  bring  forth  fruit  unto  righteousness  and 
inherit  eternal  life.  To  ^11  but  make  the  goal 
is  sad  indeed. 


I04  ,  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 

Considering  material  things,  the  cowboys 
and  cow-horses  of  the  western  plains  furnish 
us  with  some  excellent  examples  of  endurance. 
The  cowboy,  seated  on  his  wiry  little  steed, 
seems  to  be  a  permanent  fixture  so  far  as  the 
cattle  industry  of  the  West  is  concerned.  Nei- 
ther he  nor  his  mount  seem  ever  to  tire  of  their 
occupation. 

Perhaps  it  is  early  winter  and  the  large 
herds  of  cattle  as  yet  have  not  been  brought  in 
from  their  summer  range.  There  are  thou- 
sands of  them  and  they  must  be  rounded  up, 
separated  and  taken  to  different  ranches  and 
fields.  To  accomplish  this  requires  men  who 
have  been  hardened  at  this  kind  of  work. 
Stenographers,  bookkeepers  and  professional 
men  would  fail  here.  Men  who  have  been 
brought  up  as  hot-house  plants  would  shrink 
from  the  blizzards  and  extreme  cold  to  which 
the  plains  of  the  northwest  are  subject,  nor 
would  their  untrained  bodies  with  their  flabby 
muscles  and  wrecked  nerves  find  a  happy  re- 
pose on  the  back  of  one  of  these  lively,  shying 
broncos.  In  short  many  of  the  cattle  would 
perish  out  on  the  cold,  snowy  mountains  were 
there  no  experienced  men  on  hand  to  seek  them 
out  and  bring  them  in. 

Look  at  the  horse !     Of ttimes  ungainly  in 


WESTERN     STOCK    SADDLE 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  107 

appearance,  but  full  of  grit  and  animation  and 
capable  of  carrying  his  rider  through  deep 
snow  and  up  and  down  hill  all  day  without  be- 
coming exhausted.  While  he  does  not  pos- 
sess the  beauty  and  symmetry  of  form  that  the 
Kentucky  thoroughbred  possesses,  the  cease- 
less toil  and  rough  usage  that  he  endures  would 
put  the  Kentucky  horse  out  of  business  in  a 
short  time. 

However,  it  is  not  everybody  in  the  West 
who  dresses  himself  in  cowboy  regalia,  and 
mounts  a  horse,  who  is  a  real  cowboy.  In 
Montana  we  have  what  are  called  "sunshine 
riders,"  These  are  young  men  who  as  yet 
have  not  become  regular  riders — novices  at 
the  business.  Perhaps  it  is  some  one  who  has 
not  been  out  from  the  East  long,  or  whose  oc- 
cupation has  been  confined  to  farming  or  some- 
thing else.  He  sees  the  cowboys  riding  the 
broncos  and  throwing  the  lasso,  and  a  desire 
seizes  him  to  do  likewise.  So  when  the  op- 
portunity is  offered,  he  selects  a  fine-looking, 
high-spirited  horse,  but  one  which  he  has 
pretty  good  evidence  will  not  buck.  Clad  in 
chaps  and  spurs,  and  probably  a  six-shooter  at 
his  belt,  his  main  ambition  is  to  present  a  strik- 
ing appearance.  He  rides  along  admiring 
himself,  and  if  it  is  a  bright,  sunshiny  day,  he 


io8         ■         FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 

spurs  his  horse  up  and  casts  occasional  glances 
at  his  shadow,  hence  the  appellation,  "sunshine 
rider/'  At  this  stage  of  his  experience  he  is 
of  little  use  as  a  "cow-puncher  ;"he  is  more  or- 
namental than  useful,  and  the  experienced  men 
have  to  do  all  the  work.  However,  if  he  keeps 
at  the  business  and  endures  the  ridicule  heaped 
upon  him  by  the  other  riders,  he  will  in  time 
become  capable  of  doing  real  service  as  a  cow- 
boy. 

How  well  does  such  a  one  portray  the 
character  of  the  multitudes  of  professing 
Christians!  Prominent  in  religious  circles, 
but  as  true  soldiers  of  the  cross  they  are  fear- 
fully lacking  in  that  rugged  nature  and  the 
characteristics  that  go  to  make  up  a  true  fol- 
lower of  Christ.  They  have  a  form  of  religion, 
but  no  power,  no  love  for  souls,  in  fact  there 
is  nothing  about  them  that  would  characterize 
them  as  having  been  with  Jesus.  Sad  will  be 
their  fate  except  they  repent,  throw  away  their 
cloak  of  profession  and  church  membership 
and  become  a  true  worker  for  the  Lord. 


^  «.¥  5#  ^  J-  «* 


CHAPAREJOS 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  in 

WATERS  OF  LIFE 


HE  SENDETH  THE  SPRINGS  into  the 
valleys,  which  run  among  the  hills. 
They  give  drink  to  every  beast 
of  the  field:  the  wild  asses  quench  their 
thirst"  (Psa.  104:  lo-ii).  Of  the  many 
elements  taken  into  the  human  body,  few 
are  as  important  in  sustaining  life  and 
maintaining  health  as  the  water  We  drink.  If 
good,  pure  water  is  not  obtained,  sickness, 
disease  and  death  are  the  inevitable  results.  In 
our  cities  and  towns  the  authorities  take  it 
upon  themselves  to  procure  the  best  water  pos- 
sible for  domestic  purposes,  yet  the  best  ob- 
tained in  many  instances,  is  very  poor.  Often 
it  is  piped  from  the  polluted  river  running  near 
by,  and  though  it  is  taken  through  a  process  of 
filtering,  it  is  void  of  that  pure,  sweet  taste  that 
characterizes  good  spring  water,  and  in  drink- 
ing it  one  gets  a  taste  that  is  associated  in  his 
mind  with  sloughs,  frog-ponds  and  muddy 
streams. 

There  are  elegant  fountains  erected  which 
produce  a  display  of  spouting  water,  and  there 
are  polished  faucets  from     which     you    may 


112  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 

draw,  but  the  water  which  flows  from  them  is 
the  same  as  that  which  comes  from  the  rusty 
old  hydrant  along  the  gutter  that  is  used  for 
putting  out  fires  and  cleaning  and  sprinkling 
streets.  In  order  to  obtain  pure  water  we 
must  go  to  a  good  well  or  spring.  The  diffi- 
culty is  people  live  too  far  away  from  the  foun- 
tain-head. Up  in  the  mountains  where  large 
rivers  have  their  sources,  the  water  is  pure, 
but  as  the  stream  leaves  the  mountains  and 
flows  out  'through  the  lowlands,  it  brushes 
against  towns  and  cities  along  the  way  and 
picks  u])  refuse  of  alipost  every  description,  un- 
til death  and  disease  float  upon  its  bosom.  Yet 
people  must  have  water,  and  this  is  what  many 
of  them  are  compelled  to  drink  from  year  to 
year.  Even  in  the  rural  districts  where  one 
might  expect  to  obtain  good  water  the. wells 
are  often  shallow  and  germs  of  malaria  and 
typhoid  lurk  within  their  contents. 

Our  picture  illustrates  a  cowboy  drinking 
from  a  spring  in  the  Rocky  Mountains.  Here 
one  may  be  sure  of  getting  pure  water.  As  one 
rides  along  the  foothills  in  the  summer's  sun 
he  is  often  compelled  to  halt  at  one  of  the 
numerous  springs  and  quench  his  thirst.  Some 
of  these  springs,  in  general  appearance,  are  not 
the  most  tempting  places  to  drink,  for  cattle 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  113 

and  wild  horses  have  been  there  tramp- 
ing around,  and  the  fastidious  one  would 
doubtless  pass  them  by,  but  nevertheless  one  is 
assured  a  cool,  pure  drink  if  he  but  prostrates 
himself  upon  the  ground  and  brings  !iis  mouth 
in  contact  with  the  sparkling  fluid  as  it  bub- 
bles and  pushes  its  way  up  through  the  gravel. 
No  malaria  or  other  impurities  here.  Noth- 
ing but  cool,  pure,  sparkling  water.  What  a 
blessing  to  the  thirsty  traveler !  Down  in  the 
valley  below  him  flows  the  rushing  stream  that 
has  its  source  in  the  high  altitudes,  but  as  it 
flows  through  the  fields  its  waters  are  rendered 
brackish  by  the  surface  waters  pouring  into 
them  from  irrigating  ditches.  So  we  see  how 
necessary  it  is  to  go  to  the  spring  or  near  the 
source  of  the  stream  to  get  pure  water. 

Two  cowboys  were  riding  across  the 
plains.  It  was  midsummer,  and  the  fierce  rays 
of  the  sun,  together  with  the  rising  alkali  dust 
had  brought  extreme  thirst  to  the  riders  as 
well  as  their  horses.  They  were  becoming 
faint,  and  when  it  seemed  that  they  could  hold 
out  no  longer,  they  came  to  a  small  stream, 
whose  waters  were  cool,  and  clear  as  crystal. 
Though  flowing  through  a  dry  country,  it  had 
its  source  far  up  in  the  shadowy  mountains, 
and  was  fed  by  the  melting  snows  of  the  pre- 

8 


114  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 

ceding  winter.  Here  the  boys  dismounted,  and 
after  the  manner  of  cowboys,  they  lay  down 
and  drank  to  their  fill.  Thus  refreshed,  they 
pursued  their  journey  across  the  desert  land, 
having  for  their  objective  point  a  distant  ranch 
house  which  they  hoped  to  reach  by  nightfall, 
where  they  would  rest  from  the  toil  and  heat 
of  the  day. 

So  the  tliirsty  soul,  having  tried  in  vain 
to  slake  his  thirst  for  hai)piness  at  the  foun- 
tains of  earth, gets  a  draught  from  the  heavenly 
stream.  It  puts  life  and  animation  into  him, 
he  starts  out  across  the  desert  world  to  make 
the  heavenly  goal.  Trials  and  discourage- 
ments beset  him  on  every  side,  and  it  seems 
at  times  that  he  cannot  hold  out  longer,  but 
by  and  by  he  gets  another  drink  from  the 
waters  of  salvation,  by  way  of  a  blessing  or 
some  token  of  God's  favor,  which  enables  him 
to  pursue  his  journey.  One  must  continually 
seek  refreshment  from  this  heavenly  stream  or 
succumb  to  the  blighting  influences  of  a  sin- 
cursed  world.  Unlike  the  streams  of  this 
world,  it  is  not  effected  by  the  heat  and  cold, 
but  flows,  constantly  on,  turning  barrenness 
and  drought  into  life  and  activity,  and  dispell- 
ing doubt  and  fear  and  giving  comfort  and, 
happiness  in  their  stead. 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  117 

"Jesus  stood  and  cried,  saying,  If  any 
man  thirst,  let  him  come  unto  me,  and  drink." 
This  great  stream  of  salvation  has  been  flow- 
ing down  through  the  centuries,  and  multitudes 
have  slaked  their  thirst  therein,  and  it  flows  on 
still.  It  is  just  as  pure,  just  as  Hfe-giving  as 
when  the  prophets  of  old  drank  and  obtained 
life  eternal.  It  never  runs  dry.  Jesus  Christ 
is  its  source.  He  is  the  fountain-head.  He 
says,  ''Come  unto  me  and  drink,  and  never 
thirst  again."  There  are  other  waters  that 
one  may  drink  from,  but  they  do  not  satisfy. 
The  fountains  of  this  world  produce  sickness, 
disease  and  death  to  the  soul,  but  he  who  drinks 
of  the  water  that  Christ  shall  give  him  shall 
live  throughout  eternity.  Yet  how  few  are 
drinking  from  this  fountain!  It  is  a  humble 
place.  Like  the  publican,  one  must  prostrate 
oneself  before  the  Son  of  God  in  order  to  par- 
take of  these  waters.  But  they  give  life — life 
more  abundant  here  and  in  the  end  eternal 
life.  Having  once  drunk  of  this  exhilarating 
stream  there  will  be  no  thirsting  for  the  pol- 
luted streams  of  the  world. 

There  are  also  springs  in  the  valleys  of 
Montana  and  other  western  states  whose 
waters  are  strongly  alkaline.  The  waters  are 
cool,  look  pure  and  good,  but  they  do  not  sat- 


ii8  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 

isfy.  Often  the  more  one  drinks  of  them  the 
more  thirsty  he  becomes,  and  by  excessive 
drinking  becomes  sick.  We  have  heard  of  a 
v^ell  or  spring  in  the  desert  whose  waters  are 
poisonous.  Think  of  a  person's  having  trav- 
eled many  miles,  weary  and  thirsty,  to  come 
upon  what  appears  to  be  a  good  spring  of 
water,  and  drink  of  it  only  to  lie  down  and  die. 
The  remains  of  other  travelers  and  beasts  were 
not  sufficient  to  warn  him — he  must  taste  for 
himself. 

Multitudes  are  drinking  from  the  cups  of 
pleasure  and  the  streams  of  earth.  They  hope 
to  gain  satisfaction  and  life,  but  death  is  their 
doom.  The  dead  and  dying  are  lying  on  every 
side  as  silent  warnings  to  partake  not,  but  so 
great  is  their  desire  for  something  to  satisfy 
their  thirst,  that  they  take  no  heed  and  drink 
to  the  dregs  the  cup  of  the  world  which  brings 
death  and  destruction. 

Reader,  if  you  would  escape  death  and 
have  eternal  life  begin  in  you,  go.  to  Christ,  the 
true  fountain,  prostrate  yourself  before  Him 
confessing  your  sins,  and  He  will  give  you  to 
drink  of  the  waters  that  spring  up  in  the  soul 
and  produce  joy  and  gladness  which  need  never 
cease  so  long  as  you  obey  His  voice. 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  119 

THE  MOUNTAIN  LILY 


FLOWERS  are  one  of  God's  great  tokens 
of  love  to  humanity.  How  their  fra- 
grance and  beauty  have  cheered  and 
brightened  the  Hves  of  the  sick  and  disheart- 
ened down  the  ages !  Then,  too,  they  furnish 
us  with  many  fitting  illustrations  of  God's  deal- 
ings with  mankind  in  His  pkuis  to  exalt  him  to 
a  high  position.  The  pretty  pond  lily,  having 
its  start  down  in  the  black  mud  of  the  pond, 
pushes  its  way  above  its  gloomy  surroundings 
out  into  the  air  and  sunlight,  and  presents  to 
us  its  beautiful  flower.  So  a  man,  though  a 
sinner  and  living  in  the  mire  of  this  world, 
may  have  the  divine  life  imparted  to  him  and 
rise  above  his  old  haunts  and  stand  out  be- 
fore the  world  pure  and  clean  through  the 
blood  of  Christ. 

In  the  Rocky  Mountains,  unaided  by  the 
achievements  of  modern  horticulture,  there 
grows  a  little  flower,  which  for  pure  whiteness 
and  exquisite  fragrance,  cannot  be  excelled. 
It  is  commonly  known  as  the  mountain  lily. 
As  the  rainfall  is  scant  in  those  parts,  it  draws 
its  moisture  mainly  from  the  dews  of  heaven, 


I20         "         FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 

and  unfolds  to  the  world  its  four,  heart-shaped 
petals  in  the  darkness  of  the  night.  Its  beauty 
and  fragrance  last  but  for  a  few  brief 
hours  in  the  beginning  of  the  day,  it  then 
turns  red  and  withers  away  before  the  morn- 
ing sun. 

The  mountain  lily  may  not  be  induced  to 
grow  in  the  cultivated  and  well-kept  gardens 
of  the  city,  but  here  hidden  away  in  the  desert 
place  and  among  the  rocks,  it  thrives.  Were 
you  to  transplant  it  and  try  to  make  it  bloom 
in  your  garden,  it  would  fade  away  and  die. 
Near  it  may  be  found  growing  the  cactus  and 
the  uncomely  and  unsavory  sage-brush,  but  un- 
hampered by  surroundings,  it  blooms  on,  show- 
ing the  wonderful  handiwork  of  Him  who 
created  it. 

How  well  does  this  flower  remind  us  of 
some  of  God's  children  who  live  and  toil  away 
in  some  secluded  place,  yet  who  are  contin- 
ually cheering  the  lives  of  those  around  them 
and  sending  forth  sweet  incense  to  God  who 
thus  causes  them  to  live  and  be  a  blessing. 
Though  living  in  a  sin-cursed  world  and  sur- 
rounded by  those  whose  lives  are  dark  and  un- 
savory, they  remain  pure  and  spotless,  con- 
tinually showing  forth  God's  wonderful  cleans- 
ing and  keeping  power.     If  we  would  seek  to 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  123 

find  the  highest  types  of  manhood  and  woman- 
hood, we  may  not  hope  to  discover  them  among 
the  cultured  and  ehte  of  the  society  and  church 
Hfe  of  the  present  day.  If  we  would  find  true 
Christian  character  we  would  better  go  to  the 
more  humble  walks  of  life  where  the  trials  and 
testings  of  a  life  of  faith  in  God  are  develop- 
ing the  graces  of  the  Spirit  in  some  one  whose 
heart  has  been  cleansed  by  the  blood. 

We  may  go  to  society  and  the  modern 
churches  to  look  upon  beautiful  and  richly  at- 
tired women  and  to  find  those  who  are  cultured 
and  polished  in  manners,  but  this  is  all  out- 
ward adornment  and  superficial;  it  is  easily 
distinguished  from  the  manners  and  bearing 
that  characterize  a  true  child  of  God. 

Owing  to  its  shortness  of  life  and  its  na- 
ture of  growing  in  rocky  and  secluded  places 
the  mountain  lily  is  seldom  seen  by  human 
eyes,  yet  it  blooms  on  in  praise  and  glory  to 
Him  who  is  the  Creator  of  flowers  and  all  that 
is  good. 

He  who  would  have  true  character  per- 
fected in  him  is  not  seen  much  among  the 
masses,  nevertheless  he  may  come  forth  in  due 
time  as  did  Jesus  Christ  and  John  the  Baptist, 
to  manifest  the  power  of  God  to  a  darkened 
world,   but  like  them  he  may  have  his  Hfe 


124  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 

brought  to  a  close  by  fierce  persecutions. 
The  quickest  way  to  cause  a  child  of  God 
to  wither  and  die  spiritually,  is  to  surround 
him  with  such  environments  as  the  world  and 
modern  Christianity  think  conducive  to  his 
growth  in  grace.  Adverse  winds  and  testings 
of  faith  are  necessary  to  bring  out  the 
best  that  is  in  us,  and  to  shrink  from  the  rug- 
ged way  and  follow  the  way  that  offers  the 
least  resistance,  means  to  become  weak  and 
un-Christlike.  May  God  help  us  to  contin- 
ually abide  in  an  atmosphere  that  is  helpful 
to  the  development  of  the  Christian  graces. 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  125 

FISHING 


WITH  MANY,  fishing  is  a  very  delight- 
ful pastime ;  it  is  also  a  profitable  busi- 
ness when  carried  on  extensively  as  it 
is  in  some  of  the  large  rivers  and  lakes  and 
along  the  sea  coast. 

As  there  are  many  different  kinds  of  fish, 
having  different  habits  and  subsisting  upon 
different  kinds  of  food,  it  follows  that  there 
are  many  methods  employed  in  catching  them. 
Then,  too,  men  are  different;  some  like  one 
kind  of  fishing  and  some  another.  Some  men 
will  sit  on  the  banks  of  a  stream  all  day  long 
and  feel  amply  repaid  for  their  day's  work 
•if  they  catch  four  or  five  bass,  while  others 
must  have  their  large  nets  and  strong  lines  and 
hooks  and  go  out  into  the  great  waters  of  the 
sea  and  reckon  their  success  by  landing  hun- 
dreds of  pounds. 

When  the  writer  used  to  engage  in  fishing 
his  ecstacy  was  quite  complete  if  he  could  visit 
one  of  those  small  Rocky  Mountain  streams 
that  go  tumbling  down  over  granite  boulders, 
and  whose  banks  are  lined  with  willows  that 
furnished  a  good  hiding  place  from  the  wily 


126  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 

Speckled  trout  that  dart  here  and  there  in  the 
cool,  sparkling  waters.  With  a  small  willow 
rod,  a  line  and  a  hook,  the  shining  beauties  were 
soon  flopping  on  the  bank  in  sufficient  numbers 
to  insure  a  good  meal  for  the  whole  household, 
even  though  it  might  consist  of  a  number  of 
hungry  cowboys.  The  inexperienced  city  chap 
comes  out  with  his  various  kinds  of  hooks,  arti- 
ficial flies,  expensive  rod,  reels,  lines,  etc., 
walks  up  and  down  the  stream  in  full  view  of 
the  fish,  who  become  frightened  and  seek  a  re- 
treat in  some  darkened  spot.  He  goes  back 
home  again  and  wonders  why  he  has  not  been 
successful. 

One  of  the  secrets  of  catching  trout  in 
these  clear,  shallow  streams,  is  for  the  angler 
to  keep  himself  out  of  sight  in  casting  his  hook. 
It  takes  some  time  for  the  beginner  to  learn 
this,  but  when  once  learned,  he  has  but  to  cast 
his  hook  upon  the  waters  and  a  hungry  trout 
is  after  it,  sometimes  leaping  out  of  the  water 
several  inches  in  his  eagerness  to  secure  the 
bait. 

What  a  good  lesson  may  be  learned  by 
those  who  would  be  fishers  of  men — those  who 
would  really  catch  them  on  the  Gospel  hook 
that  they  may  be  landed  on  the  eternal  shores, 
where  they  will  be  safe  forevermore.     If  we 


THAT  GO  TUMBLING  OVER  GRANITE  BOULDERS^ 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  129 

would  catch  men  and  win  them  for  Christ  we 
must  keep  ourselves  out  of  sight.  Some  men 
who  claim  to  be  Gospel  fishers,  by  their  oratory 
and  strong  personalities,  are  very  successful 
when  it  comes  to  having  multitudes  sign  cards 
or  stand  up  and  confess  Christ  with  their  lips, 
but  this  is  not  truly  fishing — it  is  not  landing 
them  at  all.  They  are  left  in  the  sea  (the 
world)  to  mingle  with  their  same  old  associ- 
ates, engage  in  the  same  business,  commit  the 
same  sins,  etc.,  as  before,  and  their  end  is  de- 
struction just  as  truly  as  though  they  had  never 
signed  a  card  or  joined  a  chmxh. 

If  modern  preachers  would  get  rid  of  self, 
in  other  words,  hide  themselves  in  the  blood  of 
Christ,  and  come  before  the  world,  and  preach 
nothing  but  Jesus  Christ,  and  Him  crucified  to 
save  men  from  all  sin,  there  would  be  less 
church-joining  and  card-signing  and  many 
would  doubtless  see  their  sinful  state,  count 
the  cost  and  pray  through  to  salvation  and 
finally  reach  heaven  as  a  result.  But  so  long 
as  modern  revival  methods  are  carried  on, 
Satan  need  have  no  fear  of  losing  many  of  the 
souls  that  are  traveling  the  broad  way. 

"He  that  winneth  souls  is  wise."  As  in 
fishing  it  takes  different  tackle  and  bait  to  be 
successful,  so  in  catching  men.     What  appeals 

9 


I30  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 

l(»  one  does  not  appeal  to  another,  that  is,  some 
phase  of  Gospel  truth  appeals  to  one  more  than 
another,  and  we  believe  tiiat  all  men,  some  time 
or  other  in  their  lives  are  susceptible  to  the 
truth.  Preachers  may,  by  their  ability  and 
talents,  persuade  n:en  and  \von:en  to  express  a 
theoretical  belief  in  Christ,  and  even  have  them 
to  kneel  at  the  altar,  but  nothing  but  God-im- 
parted w  isdom,  flowing  from  a  heart  of  purity 
will  enable  them  to  catch  souls  in  the  Gospel 
net.  It  is  of  more  importance  to  get  one  soul 
safely  landed  in  the  narrow  way,  than  to  build 
up  a  whole  church  of  mere  professors  who  are 
still  living  in  sin. 

Reader,  it  is  your  privilege  to  be  a  success- 
ful fisher  for  souls,  even  though  you  may  not 
be  a  learned  doctor  of  divinity.  The  Lord 
chose  the  simple  and  unlearned  Galilean  fish- 
ern:en  to  be  fishers  of  men,  and  they  became 
real  soul-winners,  yet  like  Jesus,  they  were  re- 
jected by  the  masses,  and  finally  put  to  death 
by  them.  Nothing  but  the  old-time  Gospel, 
preached  in  the  old-time  way  with  power  sent 
down  from  heaven  is  sufficient  to  save  the  peo- 
]>le  from  endless  despair. 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  131 

CALVES  OF  THE  STALL" 


LITTLE  CALVES  are  very  interesting  to 
look  upon,  and  furnish  amusement  for  all 
those  who  have  a  chance  to  see  them  run- 
ning in  the  barn  lot  or  out  on  the  prairie.  They 
remind  us  very  much  of  w^hat  one  of  the  proph- 
ets said  of  all  those  w^ho  fear  the  Lord.  He 
said  the  Sun  of  Righteousness  should  arise  with 
healing  in  His  wings,  and  they  should  "go 
forth,  and  gambol  as  calves  of  the  stall"  (R. 
v.).  We  do  not  see  many  people  acting  this 
way  now^adays,  hence  conclude  there  are  few 
people  who  really  fear  the  Lord.  However, 
there  is  a  company  of  people  we  know  whom 
God  blesses  with  such  freedom  and  hilarity 
that  they  act  very  much  like  calves  or  lambs  at 
play.  When  any  one  becomes  free  from  sin 
and  the  cares  of  this  life  he  will  invariably 
show  it  in  some  form  of  joyful  demonstration. 
Sin,  formality  and  the  fear  of  what  others  may 
say  and  do  bind  people  down.  Look,  if  you 
please,  in  a  modern  church,  and  among  all  the 
large  congregation  you  will  not  find  many  act- 
ing like  a  stall-fed  calf.  What  is  the  reason? 
The  reason  is  obvious.     They  do  not  feaf  the 


132  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 

name  of  the  Lord.  They  are  hypocritical  and 
deceived.  They  pretend  to  love,  fear  and  serve 
God,  but  their  hearts  are  far  from  Him.  This 
is  a  sad  state  of  affairs,  and  shows  us  that  we 
are  Hving  in  the  midst  of  a  people  who  have 
forgotten  God  and  have  crowded  Him  out  of 
their  lives. 

Little  calves,  like  lambs,  have  enemies 
to  contend  with  and  many  of  them  never  live 
to  be  large  cattle.  Perhaps  their  worst  enemy 
in  the  animal  line  is  the  wolf.  Wolves  are 
strong  and  vicious  and  often  attack  large  cat- 
tle and  horses,  but  if  there  are  plenty  of  calves 
or  colts  around  they  furnish  a  very  tempting 
meal  for  a  wolf.  H  the  open  prairie  or  foot- 
hills happen  to  be  the  grazing-place  of  the  cat- 
tle, they  are  frequently  charged  upon  by  the 
wolves  emerging  from  their  covert  in  the  dense 
timber,  when  the  herdsman  is  not  in  sight  to 
scare  them  off.  Most  of  their  work  is  done 
under  cover  of  night,  but  in  many  instances 
daylight  seems  to  suit  their  purpose  quite 
as  well. 

There  is  a  very  painful  process  that  little 
calves  in  the  West  have  to  go  through.  They 
have  to  be  branded  or  marked.  This  is  done 
by  first  catching  them  by  throwing  a  lasso  over 
their  heads  which  causes  them  to  jump,  bellow 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  135 

and  make  desperate  efforts  to  free  themselves 
from  its  galling  coils.  By  means  of  another 
rope  on  their  hind  feet  they  are  thrown,  and 
stretched  out  upon  the  ground.  Thus  held  fast, 
a  hot  iron,  bearing  the  owner's  mark,  which  is 
one  or  two  letters  in  monogram  or  separately, 
is  applied  to  their  side  or  hip.  It  of  course 
is  not  a  pleasant  sensation  for  a  calf  to  be  thus 
burned,  but  the  stock-raiser  has  to  do  it  in  order 
to  retain  possession  of  his  cattle.  You  must 
remember  there  arc  many  different  cattle  men, 
and  they  turn  hundreds  and  thousands  of  head 
out  together  on  the  public  range,  and  if  it  were 
not  for  the  brand  burned  into  the  hide  a 
rancher  could  not  tell  what  cattle  belonged  to 
him.  So  one  man  might  lose  all  he  had  by 
some  one  else  claiming  them  and  the  owner- 
ship could  not  be  proved.  But  the  little  brand 
once  burned  into  the  skin  is  there  for  life,  and 
tells  the  tale,  and  the  ownership  cannot  be 
disputed.  Sheep  are  also  branded,  but  not 
by  this  burning  process.  After  shearing 
time  a  letter  is  stamped  on  them  with  a 
wooden  stamp  dipped  in  red,  black  or  green 
paint,  which  may  be  easily  seen  on  their  coats 
of  white. 

Would  you  believe  that  the  people  of  this 
world  are  branded?     Not  after  the  san:e  man- 


136  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 

ner  that  stockmen  brand  their  sheep  and  cattle, 
but  they  are  branded  nevertheless.  There  are 
many  ways  in  which  God's  people  are  marked. 
It  may  be  their  simple  manner  of  dress  that  dis- 
tmguishes  them  from  Satan's  children.  Then 
again  their  manner  of  living,  their  conversa- 
tion, their  habits  and  their  general  character 
are  brands  .which  the  Lord  has  burned  into 
their  very  beings  which  cannot  be  mistaken. 
Just  so  does  the  devil  brand  his  children. 
Perhaps  you  do  not  believe  that  the  devil  has 
children  in  this  world.  Well,  he  has,  and  we 
are  sorry  to  say  he  is  far  the  biggest  owner, 
too.  The  Lord  said  to  the  Pharisees,  ''Ye  are 
of  your  father  the  devil."  But  how  does  he 
brand  his  people,  you  will  want  to  know.  The 
Bible  says,  "The  show  of  their  cou\itenance 
doth  witness  against  them.''  That  is,  the  looks 
on  a  person's  face  show  w^hose  child  he  is. 
Sin  leaves  its  mark  and  the  keen  observer 
need  not  be  mistaken.  We  once  met 
about    a    dozen    boys    on    the    canal    bank. 

They  had  walked  all   the  way   from   N 

E ,  a  distance  of  about    thirteen    miles. 

They  had  no  doubt  run  away  from  home  un- 
beknown to  their  parents.  It  was  not  neces- 
sary for  any  one  to  tell  us  whose  children  they 
were.     We  could  tell  by  the  brands  that  were 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  137 

on  them.  Sin,  hardness  and  cruelty  were 
plainly  stamped  on  their  faces.  Some  of  them 
were  smoking  cigarettes  and  swearing  which 
were  some  of  the  brands  the  devil  had  placed 
upon  them. 

Sometimes  in  the  West  cattle,  horses  or 
sheep  are  transferred  from  one  man  to  an- 
other. In  this  case  the  brands  have  to  be 
changed.  The  first  brand  is  'Vented,"  or  has 
a  line  burned  through  it  which  signifies  that  it 
is  null  or  no  good,  and  a  new  brand  is  put  on  in 
a  different  place.  Just  so  may  the  children  of 
this  world  be  branded.  They  may  be  trans- 
ferred from  Satan's  ownership  to  that  of  the 
Lord's  by  their  forsaking  sin  and  being  born 
into  the  kingdom  of  God.  The  Lord  will 
adopt  you  and  remove  the  marks  of  sin  from 
your  face  and  make  it  to  shine  with  the  oil 
of  gladness.  Reader,  whose  brand  are  you 
bearing  to-day?  Are  you  in  God's  fold  or 
Satan's?  "Search  the  scriptures;  for  in 
them  ye  think  ye  have  eternal  life:  and  they 
are  they  which  testify  of  me.'' 


138  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 

THANKSGIVING  DAY  IN  CAMP 


SEVEN  MONTHS  had  been  put  in  by  the 
foreman  and  his  helper  at  the  summer 
camp  looking  after  the  several  thousand 
head  of  cattle  placed  under  their  charge  for  the 
summer  season.  They  had  been  months  not 
lacking  in  interest  and  activity,  for  the  life  of 
a  cowboy  is  a  strenuous  one,  and  is  usually 
free  from  the  monotony  that  sometimes  pre- 
vails among  those  engaged  in  other  occupa- 
tions. As  one  starts  out  from  the  camp  in 
the  morning  to  make  the  day's  ride  over  the 
distant  hill,  past  timbered  buttes  and  across 
rushing  streams,  the  scenes  are  ever  changing, 
and  by  the  time  the  limit  of  the  circuit  is 
reached  and  a  number  of  unbranded  calves 
have  been  sought  out  and  driven  in  to  await 
the  next  'branding  day,  the  sun  is  kissing  good- 
night to  the  snow-capped  peaks  in  the  distance 
and  the  day  is  drawing  to  a  close.  Then  it  is 
that  the  weary  cowboy  welcomes  the  sight  of 
the  rudely  constructed  log  cabin  by  the  creek 
w4iich  is  indeed  a  happy  retreat  after  the  long 
hours  spent  in  the  saddle  galloping  over  the 
hills.     Nor  does  he  once  wish  for  the  elegant 


1 


m-w^m 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  141 

couch  or  easy  chair  to  rest  himself,  but  is 
quite  satisfied  with  sitting  on  a  bench,  box  or 
anything  that  may  come  handy. 

On  entering  the  lot  the  horses  are  unsad- 
dled and  set  at  liberty,  and  after  the  usual 
rolling  upon  the  ground,  they  go  trotting  off 
to  join  the  band  in  the  pasture,  there  to  rest 
and  eat  grass  until  their  turn  comes  again, 
which  may  be  a  week  or  ten  days,  since  there 
are  thirty  or  forty  of  their  kind  in  the  band 
to  select  from  for  the  day's  mount,  and  each 
must  be  ridden  in  its  turn. 

You  have  seen  the  motto,  "What  is  home 
without  a  mother?"  but  here  on  the  plains  are 
young  men  whose  mother's  have  long  since 
passed  into  the  great  beyond,  or  perhaps  live 
ir».  distant  states,  and  memories  of  them  amid 
such  surroundings  are  like  spectres  that  flit 
rapidly  by,  but  do  not  tarry.  But  a  young  man 
does  not  live  in  a  cattle  country  long  without 
acquiring  the  habit  of  making  the  best  of  his 
circumstances  and  environments,  and  is  soon 
lost  to  the  outside  world.  He  lives  in  a  little 
world  to  itself  that  presents  its  likes  and  dis- 
likes, but  for  the  most  part  he  would  not  change 
matters,  though  it  were  in  his  power  to  do  so. 
For  here  it  is  that  one  gets  the  benefit  of  na- 
ture's pure  air,  and  the  daily  exercise  that  one 


142  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 


is  accustomed  to  is  conducive  to  the  building 
up  of  a  robust  constitution.  And  these  things, 
combined  with  the  dangers  tnat  are  confronted 
in  riding  broncos  and  facing  severe  storms  in 
the  winter,  tend  to  put  courage  and  endurance 
into  a  person  that  are  valuable  assets  in  pur- 
suing any  vocation,  whatever  it  may  be. 

On  coming  in  from  the  day's  ride  the  cow- 
boy lays  aside  his  chaps  and  spurs  and  goes 
about  preparing  the  evening  meal  just  as  natur- 
ally as  he  rides  a  bronco,  throws  a  lariat  or 
pulls  the  trigger  of  his  six-shooter,  nor  does  he 
complain  if  his  culinary  department  is  not 
equipped  with  all  the  modern  conveniences  that 
may  be  found  in  the  average  city  home.  So 
long  as  there  is  a  stove  and  a  frying  pan  or 
two  he  may  consider  the  kitchen  sufficiently 
furnished,  and  from  the  supply  of  eatables  on 
hand,  which  at  least  consists  of  flour,  potatoes 
and  an  abundant  supply  of  fresh  beef,  together 
with  the  little  necessaries  to  make  them  palata- 
ble, a  substantial  meal  is  soon  on  the  table,  to 
which  the  hungry  knights  of  the  range  are  not 
slow  in  doing  justice. 

The  fall  round-up  is  a  time  of  special  in- 
terest to  all  concerned,  for  then  it  is  that  the 
stockmen  who  have  cattle  on  the  range  that  is 
to  be  ridden,  send  riders  to  look  after  their  in- 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  145 

terests,  and  cowboys  who  have  been  engaged 
in  other  sections  of  the  country  during  the  sum- 
mer season,  meet  and  ride  together  for  a  week 
or  ten  days,  or  until  the  work  of  gathering  in 
and  separating  is  accompHshed.  On  each  day 
trips  are  made  to  different  points  of  the  range 
within  a  Hmited  distance,  and  by  agreement, 
the  cattle  are  brought  to  one  locality  where 
they  are  ''bunched"  and  the  work  of  separating 
carried  on  according  to  their  brands,  those 
bearing  a  certain  brand  being  cut  out  and  put 
in  a  herd  together,  and  afterwards  taken  to 
the  ranch  of  their  owner  for  the  winter.  Each 
day's  round-up  is  usually  made  on  or  near  the 
ranch  of  the  stockman  possessing  the  most 
cattle,  and  the  various  other  brands  cut  out 
from  the  main  herd. 

How  well  does  this  work  illustrate  to  us 
the  gathering  together  of  the  people  of  the 
earth  at  the  great  Judgment!  'Tor  we  shall 
all  stand  before  the  judgment  seat  of  Christ," 
and  give  "account  for  the  deeds  done  in  the 
body."  It  was  necessary  that  the  cattle  be 
searched  out  from  their  secluded  retreats  in 
the  mountains  and  valleys  and  from  the  cover 
of  the  timber,  and  that  the}^  all  be  brought  to 
the  round-up  and  have  their  ownership  made 
known,  that  they  might  be  taken  to  their  own 

10 


146  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 

place  for  the  winter.  Just  so  will  all  nations 
and  peoples  be  gathered  to  judgment  before 
the  great  throne,  and  those  bearing  the  image 
of  Christ  shall  be  parted  to  the  right  and  those 
bearing  the  mark  of  the  evil  one  shall  be  placed 
on  the  left.  Then  shall  it  be  said  to  those  on 
the  right,  "Come,  ye  blessed  of  my  Father,  in- 
herit the  kingdom  prepared  for  you  from  the 
foundation  of  the  world,''  but  it  shall  be  said 
to  those  on  the  left  hand,  ''Depart  from  me,  ye 
cursed,  into  everlasting  fire,  prepared  for  the 
devil  and  his  angels."  Notice  that  this  scrip- 
ture says  that  these  two  places  are  prepared 
for  their  respective  classes  of  people  and  we 
naturally  infer  that  the  people  are  being  pre- 
pared in  this  life  for  one  or  the  other  of  the 
places.  Will  not  this  be  a  sad  round-up  for 
the  multitudes  of  earth  who  have  failed  to  do 
the  will  of  God  and  have  lived  for  their  own 
pleasure  and  for  worldly  gain?  But  on  the 
other  hand,  think  of  the  blessedness  and  ever- 
lasting joy  that  will  be  the  lot  of  those  who 
have  washed  their  robes  and  made  them  white 
in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb  and  on  whom  can  be 
found  no  trace  of  sin. 

It  was  at  the  camp  shown  in  the  illustra- 
tion, that  the  writer,  as  foreman  of  the  herd, 
partook  of  his  last  Thanksgiving  dinner  pre- 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  147 

vious  to  his  entering  the  Lord's  work.  And 
you  may  wonder  what  kind  of  Thanksgiving  it 
was.  We  are  sure  that  not  many  of  our  read- 
ers ever  spent  such  a  Thanksgiving,  yet  its 
principal  feature,  that  of  eating,  did  not  differ 
materially  from  the  Thanksgiving  Days  spent 
by  the  multitudes  in  our  cities  and  hamlets, 
though  the  meal  of  course,  was  lacking  in  those 
tempting  viands  that  are  had  in  abundance  at 
the  elegant  dinners  of  the  well-to-do  in  the 
cities.  However,  it  was  a  deviation  from  the 
usual  fare  for  cowboys  while  engaged  in  work 
on  the  range,  and  we  daresay  was  no  less  en- 
joyed than  many  a  Thanksgiving  dinner  par- 
taken of  by  our  city  friends.  The  day  was  not 
spent  as  a  holiday,  for  there  had  already  been 
several  snowstorms,  and  feed  on  the  range 
was  getting  short  and  we  could  afford  to  lose 
no  time  in  getting  the  cattle  into  the  large 
field  surrounding  the  camp,  preparatory  to 
starting  them  on  the  fifty  mile  trail  home. 
Just  as  the  young  men  were  adjusting  their 
chaps  and  making  ready  to  start  on  the  day's 
ride,  some  one  broached  the  subject  of  what 
would  be  had  for  the  Thanksgiving  meal. 
There  was  no  lack  for  the  finest  cuts  of  beef 
as  we  have  said,  and  within  a  stone's  throw 
of  the  cabin  ran  the  creek  where  a  good  angler 


148  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 

could  in  an  hour's  time  catch  enough  moun- 
tain trout  to  satisfy  all.  Had  prairie  chicken 
or  mountain  grouse  been  wanted  they  could 
have  been  obtained  within  a  radius  of  a  mile 
or  two,  provided  luck  did  not  fail  us  with  the 
shotgun.  But  these  things  had  become  com- 
monplace and  everybody  was  in  favor  of  a 
change  for  this  special  occasion. 

"Are  there  no  turkeys  around  this  part 
of  the  country?"  was  asked  by  a  young  Mis- 
sourian.  ''Don't  know  of  a  single  one,"  an- 
swered Scotty.  "But,"  suggested  another, 
"there's  a  woman  on  a  ranch  about  two  miles 
from  here  that's  got  a  mighty  fine  lot  o'  hens." 
Enough  said,  and  orders  were  given  for  one 
of  the  number  to  ride  over  to  buy  a  sufficient 
number  of  the  fowls  and  on  returning,  remain 
at  the  camp  and  prepare  the  meal.  Cowboys 
have  no  fixed  hours  for  eating  except  it  be 
the  morning  meal,  so  when  the  ride  is  ended 
and  the  cattle  gathered  during  the  day  are 
placed  in  the  field,  a  grand  rush  is  made  for 
camp.  On  this  occasion  they  arrived  about 
four  o'clock,  and  the  cook  who  had  been  cast- 
ing occasional  glances  out  toward  the  big  gate 
about  a  mile  off,  had  espied  them  coming  and 
began  to  make  ready  the  table,  and  with  the 
assistance  of  the  foreman,  who  had  come  in. 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  151 

the  meal  was  soon  on  the  table.  There  were 
no  white  linen  tablecloths  or  napkins,  nor 
china  and  cut-glass  ware,  but  the  absence  of 
these  commodities' was  hardly  thought  of  by 
any  one  present.  The  covering  of  oilcloth  and 
the  plates  of  tin  were  considered  sufficient  fur- 
nishings, and  no  regrets  were  prompted,  but 
every  one  showed  his  complete  satisfaction  by 
the  manner  in  which  he  disposed  of  the  vict- 
uals. The  cook  received  his  share  of  compli- 
ments in  the  meantime,  and  soon  the  table  was 
cleared  away  and  all  gathered  round  the  big 
heating  stove  in  the  adjoining  room  to  talk 
about  cattle,  broncos,  etc. 

We  step  to  the  door  and  an  impressive  scene 
greets  our  eyes.  We  stand  at  the  corner  of  the 
section  and  a  half  of  fenced  land,  the  round-up 
is  over,  the  vast  number  of  cattle  are  before 
us  in  the  field,  literally  covering  every  acre 
of  the  one  thousand  within  the  fence,  their 
dark  color  standing  out  in  bold  relief  against 
the  snow-covered  foothills  in  the  background. 
Soon  the  shadows  of  evening  are  casting  their 
gloom  over  mountain  and  plain  and  the  scene 
is  lost  to  view.  But  on  the  still,  night  air 
comes  the  sound  of  tramping  and  lowing  cat- 
tle, the  sharp  yelp  of  the  coyote  is  heard  on  a 
neighboring  knoll,  while  in  the  distance  we 


152  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 

catch  the  deep,  stentorian  howl  of  the  gray  wolf 
taking  up  the  refrain  as  he  calls  to  his  follow- 
ers to  join  him  in  making  a  raid  on  the  cattle 
for  their  evening  meal.  Such  is  the  music  of 
the  western  plains.  The  night  is  on  and  an- 
other Thanksgiving  Day  has  passed  into 
oblivion. 

Those  days  are  gone  and  six  years  have 
elapsed  and  a  distance  of  two  thousand  miles 
separates  us  from  these  haunts,  yet  memories 
of  them  occasionally  flit  past  our  mind,  and  we 
are  tempted  to  throw  out  our  lasso  and  bring 
them  a  little  closer  and  invite  them  to  stay. 
We  would  cherish  them  as  silent  communica- 
tions with  nature — as  times  of  meditation  with 
ourself  and  God,  for  here  it  was  that  the  Lord 
talked  to  us  and  showed  us  the  necessity  of 
spending  our  life  wholly  in  His  service.  And 
does  it  not  seem  strange  that  the  Lord  should 
pick  out  one  from  among  the  companionship  of 
thoughtless  and  worldly  young  men  and  put 
an  almost  irresistible  pressure  upon  him  that 
would  cause  him  to  leave  a  vocation  that 
seemed  so  agreeable  to  his  nature  and  pursue 
one  so  widely  different?  Such  is  the  love  God 
has  for  men  that  He  seeks  them  out  from  the 
remotest  corners  of  the  earth,  and  such  is  the 
power  of  the  Gospel  to  change  a  person  and 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  153 

make  him  content  to  follow  whithersoever  the 
Lord  leads.  We  had  no  real  thanksgiving  in 
our  heart  at  that  time.  Like  Israel  in  Baby- 
lonian captivity  who  had  hung  their  harps  on 
the  willows,  we  had  no  song  of  praise. 

Multitudes  at  Thanksgiving  time  work 
and  plan  in  order  to  provide  tempting  foods  to 
indulge  their  appetites,  and  gather  together 
in  companies  to  celebrate  the  nation's  thanks- 
giving, but  after  all,  how  little  there  is  of  the 
true  thanksgiving  spirit  manifested!  How 
few  hearts  are  overflowing  with  gratitude  to 
God  for  His  great  mercy  in  sparing  their  lives, 
and  for  the  wonderful  provision  He  has  made 
for  the  salvation  of  men!  There  is  often 
much  feeding  of  the  physical  man,  yea,  there 
is  surfeiting,  but  the  soul  in  myriads  of  cases 
goes  without  the  real  bread  and  water  of  life. 
The  observance  of  feast  days  among  God's 
ancient  people  was  a  time  of  special  devotion, 
and  the  presence  of  Jehovah  was  wonderfully 
manifest,  but  in  our  day  God  is  not  in  the 
thoughts  of  the  multitudes  who  gather  to  make 
merry  and  to  eat  and  to  drink.  Would  that 
some  who  read  these  lines  might  be  led  to  the 
banqueting  table  of  the  Lord  and  partake  to 
their  fill  of  the  heavenly  manna  and  of  the  wine 
of  the  kingdom  until  they  would  have  a  real 


154 


FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 


thanksgiving  in  their  souls.  Remember  the 
round-up  to  which  you  are  rapidly  being  driven 
on  the  wings  of  time,  and  where  you  will  be 
parted  to  the  right  or  the  left  and  receive  your 
sentence.  But  let  those  who  are  following  the 
Lord  rejoice  evermore  that  their  sins  are  blot- 
ted out  and  their  names  are  written  in  heaven. 


^^ 


%^-^'' 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  155 

GUARD  THE  WEAK  PLACES 


SURROUNDING  the  summer  camp  was  a 
large  field  comprising  a  couple  of  sec- 
tions of  ,nice  meadow  land  which  was 
kept  in  reserve  each  season  for  late  fall  pasture 
as  the  cattle  were  being  rounded  up.  One  day 
in  September  as  the  two  cowboys  in  charge  of 
the  herd  were  coming  over  the  hill  from  the 
day's  ride,  an  unwelcome  sight  met  their  eyes. 
The  feed  on  the  outside  range  was  already  be- 
coming short  and  the  cattle  traveling  along  the 
outside  of  the  large  field  of  luscious  grass  had 
at  last  discovered  a  weak  place  in  the  fence 
and  no  less  than  2,000  head  had  found  their 
way  into  the  field.  The  riders  took  in  the  situa- 
tion at  a  glance  and  were  not  long  in  rounding 
them  up  and  starting  them  toward  the  opening, 
but  it  is  needless  to  say  they  were  quite  reluc- 
tant to  travel  freely  in  that  direction.  However, 
'  they  were  soon  on  the  outside,  but  everywhere 
they  had  been,  the  once  tall  and  waving  grass 
was  trampled  flat,  and  much  of  it,  of  course, 
had  been  carried  out  with  the  herd. 

Having  once  tasted  of  the  grass  within 
the    field    they    preferred    to    remain    there 


156  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 

rather  than  rustle  for  a  living  on  the  well-nigh 
barren  prairie  without.  Therefore  they  re- 
fused to  go  away,  and  for  several  days  crowded 
round  the  place  where  they  had  gotten  in. 
Though  the  fence  was  strengthened,  some  of 
the  more  presistent  ones  succeeded  in  forcing 
an  entrance,  and  where  one  a^iimal  goes  on 
such  occasions,  others  are  sure  to  follow.  Thus 
did  a  large  number  repeatedly  get  in  and  it 
became  necessary  to  thoroughly  reinforce 
the  fence  and  drive  the  cattle  off  to  another 
part  of  the  range.  Yet  withal  the  fence  had 
to  be  watched  closely  for  several  days,  for  they 
were  wont  to  return  and  seek  an  opening. 

Thus  it  is  with  sin  and  its  work  of  de- 
struction upon  the  human  race.  The  boy  or 
girl,  under  the  influence  of  God-fearing  par- 
ents, goes  through  the  period  of  childhood  and 
youth  with  a  character  that  is  unmarred  by  sin, 
and  gives  promise  of  bringing  forth  fruit  unto 
righteousness. 

But  in  course  of  time  and  in  an  unguarded 
moment,  sin  enters  and  begins  to  destroy  all 
that  is  good.  Perhaps  it  is  discovered  and  its 
presence  in  the  life  is  deplored.  Strenuous 
efforts  are  employed  to  eliminate  it,  and  it  is 
probably  overcome  for  a  time,  but  it  ever  lin- 
gers near.     The  weak  place  once  discovered  by 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  157 

Satan  has  been  made  weaker  by  the  first  en- 
trance of  sin,  and  the  wall  of  defense  is  re- 
peatedly attacked  and  broken  down  until  deep 
inroads  into  the  moral  character  are  made. 
The  life  where  the  fruit  of  the  Spirit  pre- 
viously flourished  is  laid  waste,  and  the  once 
pure  and  beautiful  character  trampled  and  pol- 
luted by  evil  spirits. 

Oh  the  multitudes  of  young  men  and 
women  whose  characters  might  have  remained 
untainted  by  evil  habits  and  whose  counte- 
nances might  have  been  kept  unclouded  by 
guilt  had  they  been  watchful  and  called  upon 
God  to  keep  them  from  the  evil  and  to  guard 
them  against  the  onslaughts  of  the  destroyer 
of  all  that  is  good. 

Some  distance  farther  up  the  valley  were 
other  large  fields  and  ranches  that  belonged 
to  the  cattle  company.  They  had  once  been 
the  homes  of  individual  ranchers  and  had  in 
years  past  been  irrigated  and  well  cared  for 
and  made  to  produce  large  stacks  of  hay  of  an 
excellent  quality.  The  buildings  and  fences 
had  at  one  time  been  kept  up  and  everything 
presented  a  neat  and  prosperous  appearance. 
But  these  places  had  been  purchased  by  the  cat- 
tle company  largely  for  the  purpose  of  gaining 
control  of  more    summer    pasture,  and    they 


158  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 

made  no  effort  to  keep  the  fences  up  or  to  pre- 
serve the  buildings.  Consequently  everything 
had  practically  gone  to  ruin.  The  fences  were 
no  longer  sufficient  to  turn  the  cattle,  but  they 
could  enter  at  a  score  of  places  and  from  every 
side  at  will.  In  former  years  during  the  sum- 
mer season  the  grass  reached  a  height  of  two 
feet  or  more  in  some  of  these  fields,  but  at 
the  time  we  have  in  mind  hundreds  of  cattle 
fed  there  and  it  scarcely  reached  two  or  three 
inches.  The  irrigating  ditches  that  had  once 
run  to  overflowing  with  life-giving  water  from 
the  mountains  were  no  longer  looked  after  and 
had  grown  up  with,  weeds  and  become  filled 
with  rubbish.  Buildings  that  once  sheltered 
the  family  and  had  been  the  place  called 
"home"  by  various  ones,  had  long  since  lost 
their  claim  to  being  the  abode  of  man.  Win- 
dows were  broken  out  and  doors  torn  from 
their  hinges  and  the  cattle  frequently  came  in 
to  shelter  from  the  storm.  Wood  rats  and 
other  unclean  animals  and  birds  of  the  field 
made  their  homes  there  and  desolation  and  un- 
cleanness  had  become  the  order  of  the  day. 
What  a  picture  this  is  of  the  cities  and  na- 
tions that  have  been  laid  waste  because  of  sin 
and  upon  which  the  curse  of  God  has  fallen! 
In  the  Bible  we  read  of  the  magnificent  city  of 


w 

> 
< 

Q 

w 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  i6i 

Babylon,  a  large  part  of  which  consisted  of 
beautiful  parks  and  gardens.  Its  walls  were 
56  miles  in  circumference,  335  feet  high,  85 
feet  wide,  but  God's  curse  fell  upon  it.  His 
prophets  foretold  its  desolation  and  wrote  its 
doom  in  the  Book.  "And  Babylon,  the  glory 
of  kingdoms,  the  beauty  of  the  Chaldees'  ex- 
cellency, shall  be  as  when  God  overthrew 
Sodom  and  Gomorrah.  It  shall  never  be  in- 
habited, neither  shall  it  be  dwelt  in  from  genera- 
tion to  generation:  neither  shall  the  Arabian 
pitch  tent  there;  neither  shall  the  shepherds 
make  their  fold  there.  But  wild  beasts  of  the 
desert  shall  lie  there;  and  their  houses  shall  be 
full  of  doleful  creatures:  and  owls  shall  dwell 
there,  and  satyrs  shall  dance  there.  And  the 
wild  beasts  of  the  islands  shall  cry  in  their 
desolate  houses,  and  dragons  in  their  pleasant 
palaces :  and  her  time  is  near  to  come,  and  her 
days  shall  not  be  prolonged"  (Isa.  13:19-22). 
All  this  came  to  pass  and  the  ruins  of  the  city 
may  be  seen  to  this  day  as  an  example  of  God's 
displeasure  on  sin. 

As  it  is  with  cities  and  nations,  so  it  is 
with  individuals  who  bring  the  displeasure  of 
God  upon  their  lives.  Many  have  flourished 
and  been  prosperous  for  a  portion  of  their 
lives  and  have  manifested  traits  of  Christian 

11 


i62  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 

character,  and  have  possessed  the  fruits  of  the 
Spirit;  for  a  time  they  may  have  kept  their 
house  in  order  and  guarded  against  the 
entrance  of  everything  that  would  destroy. 
But  at  last  they  became  neglectful  and  failed 
to  watch  and  pray  as  they  should.  The  evil 
lurking  without  seized  the  opportunity,  and  sin 
with  its  blasting  influence  entered  and  began 
its  deadly  work,  and  it  was  only  a  matter  of  a 
little  time  until  everything  was  laid  waste,  and 
the  soul  became  Hke  a  deserted  place,  overrun 
by  evil  beasts. 

There  are  lives  about  us  everywhere  that 
have  been  made  barren  and  fruitless;  there 
are  characters  that  were  once  strong  and  cour- 
ageous ands  able  to  withstand  any  attack  of 
the  enemy,  but  are  now  weak  and  vacillating; 
faces  that  once  had  the  upward  gaze  and  re- 
flected the  image  of  Christ,  but  now  sad  and 
downcast;  souls  that  were  once  watered 
through  channels  flowing  from  the  stream  of 
life,  but  now  dry  and  desert.  Oh  the  human 
wrecks,  and  lives  that  produce  nothing  that 
is  good  that  may  be  seen  on  every  hand  in  the 
land  to-day!  To  find  those  who  are  keeping 
up  the  fight  against  sin  is  a  difficult  matter. 
Christ  is  crowded  out  and  the  hearts  of  men 
have  become  the  abode    of    unclean    spirits. 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  165 

Christ  came  to  turn  the  desert  of  the  hu- 
man heart  into  joy  and  gladness  and  to  set  the 
captive  free;  to  make  the  weak  strong  and  the 
bHnd  to  see ;  to  heal  the  sick  and  to  lift  up  the 
fallen;  to  make  the  crooked  straight  and  to 
build  up  that  which  is  broken  down;  to  sepa- 
rate the  precious  from  the  vile  and  to  dispel 
the  darkness  and  gloom.  And  what  more? 
"I  am  come  that  they  might  have  life,  and  that 
they  might  have  it  more  abundantly."  And 
what  more?  *'In  my  Father's  house  are  many 
mansions :  if  it  were  not  so,  I  would  have  told 
you.  I  go  to  prepare  a  place  for  you.''  And 
what  more?  "To  him  that  overcometh  will 
I  grant  to  sit  with  me  in  my  throne,  even  as  I 
also  overcame,  and  am  set  down  with  my 
Father  in  his  throne."  And  here  is  the  invita- 
tion :  "And  the  Spirit  and  the  bride  say.  Come. 
And  let  him  that  heareth  say,  Come.  And  let 
him  that  is  athirst  come.  And  whosoever  will, 
let  him  take  the  water  of  life  freely." 

How  great  a  mischief  one  unguarded  point 
may  cause  us!  One  wound  may  destroy 
the  body,  and  one  sin  will  destroy  the  soul. 
What  must  the  end  be  of  those  who  fail  to 
guard  their  lives  against  sin  and  call  upon  the 
Lord  to  save  them  frpm  destruction.  There 
is  only  one  remedy  for  sin,  and  that  is  the  blood 


i66 


FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 


of  the  atonement.  Man's  only  hope  is  in  Christ. 
"Neither  is  there  salvation  in  any  other:  for 
there  is  none  other  name  under  heaven  given 
among  men,  v^hereby  we  must  be  saved." 


' 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  167 

LITTLE  THINGS 


THE  FOLLOWING  PICTURE  brings 
to  mind  an  incident  that  once  hap- 
pened when  we  were  helping  round 
up  and  corral  wild  horses  in  the  West. 
In  company  with  a  number  of  young  men, 
we  had  driven  a  large  band  of  horses 
into  a  corral  and  were  separating  them.  There 
were  many  little  colts  among  them  and  one  of 
these  had  run  up  into  a  narrow  chute  where 
he  was  not  wanted.  He  was  only  a  little  fel- 
low and  one  of  the  young  men  thought  to  re- 
move him  by  taking  hold  of  his  tail  and  pulling 
him  back,  when  lo,  quick  as  a  flash  his  heels 
flew  up  and  struck  the  man  square  in  the 
mouth.  It  is  needless  to  say  that  it  was  not  a 
pleasant  sensation.  He  did  not  blame  him- 
self for  his  own  folly,  but  was  very  angry  at 
the  colt,  who  was  only  trying  to  defend  him- 
self. 

Now  the  point  we  want  you  to  notice  is 
this,  the  Bible  says  something  about  little 
foxes  that  spoil  the  vines.  It  is  often  little 
things  in  life  that  people  do  not  notice  that 
lead  to  the  most  trouble.     This  young  man 


i68  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 

would  never  have  thought  of  taking  hold  of 
the  tail  of  one  of  the  large  wild  horses,  for  he 
w^ould  have  expected  to  receive  a  severe  kick 
which  might  have  resulted  in  broken  limbs  or 
perhaps  the  loss  of  his  life.  So  it  is  with 
men.  Little  sins  and  misdeeds  are  like 
little  colts  that  appear  harmless,  but  when  in- 
dulged in  they  never  fail  to  leave  their  sting. 
You  would  not  think  of  going  out  and  doing 
•  some  terrible  deed  that  would  cause  you  to  be 
put  in  jail  or  to  be  punished  severely,  yet  you 
do  many  things  that  appear  to  be  small,  but 
remember  that  the  smallest  sin  or  act  of  dis- 
obedience is  very  dangerous  and  will  leave  a 
wound  upon  your  soul  that  will  cause  you  suf- 
fering and  may  never  be  healed. 

Remember  the  text,  "Little  foxes  spoil 
the  vines,"  and  destroy  the  tender  grapes,  and 
just  as  this  young  man  had  his  mouth  injured 
by  the  kick  from  the  little  colt,  so  may  some 
little  bad  habits  that  you  indulge  in,  ruin  your 
character  and  blight  your  whole  life.  Little 
colts  become  large,  strong  horses  and  when 
wild  it  is  sometimes  hard  to  bring  them  under 
control.  Just  so  do  little  sins  become  enor- 
mous evils  until  it  is  almost  impossible  for  one 
to  overcome  them  when  once  they  have  gamed 
a  headway  in  one's  life.     Therefore  the  wise 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  171 

thing  is  not  to  meddle  with  anything  that  has 
the  least  appearance  of  evil  and  then  your 
whole  life  will  be  blest  and  you  may  build  up 
a  character  that  Jesus  will  be  pleased  to  look 
upon. 

Another  thing  we  notice  about  colts  is 
that  their  ownership  is  known  by  the  brand 
they  bear.  Just  so  are  people  known  by  cer- 
tain marks  about  them.  Sin  leaves  its  mark 
and  shows  plainly  that  one  belongs  to  Satan. 
But  through  the  blood  of  Jesus  you  may  have 
the  sin  stains  washed  from  your  heart  and 
the  outward  marks  will  gradually  disappear, 
you  will  take  on  the  likeness  of  Jesus  and 
everybody  will  know  that  you  are  His  child. 
Come  to  Him  now  and  let  Him  make  you 
His  own. 


172  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 


SHEEP  AND  THEIR  SHEPHERD 


WHEN  the  learned  men  of  the  world 
essay  to  reveal  some  valuable  scien- 
tific truth  they  often  do  so  by  using 
language  and  terms  that  are  difficult  of  compre- 
hension by  the  illiterate  and  simple-minded. 
When  Jesus  wished  to  teach  His  disciples,  and 
the  world,  the  mysteries  pertaining  to  the  king- 
dom of  heaven.  He  chose  the  most  simple  illus- 
trations, bringing  into  use  the  things  of  na- 
ture—the cattle,  sheep,  the  mountains,  grain- 
fields,  etc.,  avoiding  entirely  the  "traditions 
of  men,"  and  things  hard  to  be  understood. 
His  lessons  embraced  the  most  vital  subject 
that  ever  engaged  the  mind  of  man — eternal 
life, — yet  by  His  simple  methods  of  conveying 
the  truth,  the  little  child,  if  he  obeys  the  voice 
of  God,  may  be  made  to  understand  the  things 
of  eternal  import. 

Perhaps  no  other  lesson  impresses  us  more 
and  helps  us  to  understand  our  relationship  to 
God  better  than  that  of  the  sheep  and  the  shep- 
herd. When  we  note  the  timidity,  and  harm- 
lessness,  as  well  as  the  defenseless  nature  of 
sheep,  we  see  how  dependent  they  are  upon 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  173 

a  good  shepherd  to  guide  and  protect  them 
and  provide  food  and  shelter  for  them.  Being 
of  a  roving  disposition,  they  wander  over  the 
plains  and  hills  not  knowing  where  to  go  or 
when  to  stop  and  return  to  the  fold.  Hence, 
without  a  competent  shepherd,  they  would  soon 
become  scattered  and  driven  with  the  storm 
or  torn  by  wild  beasts. 

He  who  is  acquainted  with  the  sheep  in- 
dustry in  all  of  its  phases  as  it  is  carried  on 
by  the  stockmen  of  our  western  states  would 
be  at  a  loss  to  know  how  to  handle  a  small 
flock  in  the  Oriental  land  according  to  eastern 
methods.  The  western  herdsman  has  any- 
where from  two  to  five  thousand  head  to  man- 
age. He  has  a  small  tent  pitched  on  the  prairie 
or  in  a  ravine  which  is  surrounded  by  good 
pasture.  His  pasture  may  consist  of  the  many 
m.iles  of  open  prairie  or  rolling  mountains  sur- 
rounding him  on  all  sides  and  extending  in 
any  direction  as  far  as  the  eye  can  reach.  His 
"fold''  may  be  an  open  corral,  or  oftentimes 
not  even  this,  but  only  a  *'bedding-ground," 
where  the  sheep  lie  down  for  the  night.  With 
no  better  protection  than  this,  the  herder  is 
often  aroused  during  the  night  to  scare  off  the 
hungry  beasts  that  seek  their  lives.  At  the 
break  of  day  they  begin  to  scatter  in  almost 


174  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 

every  direction,  feeding  as  they  go,  but  the 
shepherd  with  the  aid  of  his  dogs  sees  that 
they  all  keep  drifting  in  one  direction.  Here 
the  sheep  do  not  follow  the  shepherd,  but  he 
follows  them,  turning  them  if  they  should  go 
in  a  direction  contrary  to  his  will.  When  they 
have  gone  far  enough  for  the  day  they  are 
turned  that  they  may  feed  back  in  the  direc- 
tion of  the  camp,  and  reach  it  by  night-fall. 

The  herder's  life,  as  a  rule,  in  this  country, 
is  one  of  monotony.  If  it  happens  to  be  in  the 
spring  of  the  year  when  there  are  many  lambs 
in  the  flock,  their  continual  bleating  is  music 
with  few  variations  in  it  and  is  entirely  void  of 
strains  that  are  pleasing  to  the  ear.  Thus  from 
day  to  day  and  from  week  to  week  this  solitary 
life  is  lived  by  many  on  our  western  plains. 
With  the  exception  of  the  ''camp-tender"  who 
makes  his  regular  visits  at  intervals  of  ten  days 
or  two  weeks  his  life  is  entirely  void  of  human 
companionship.  With  glad  expectancy  does 
he  watch  for  the  familiar  team  to  bring  him  a 
new  supply  of  provisions,  a  few  newspapers,  a 
letter  or  two,  or  salt  for  the  sheep.  Or  per- 
haps his  pasture  is  getting  short  and  he  is  anx- 
ious to  have  his  camp  moved  to  a  better  locality. 

Yet  with  all  its  disagreeable  features,  we 
have  often  thought  whether  such  a  life  could 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  177 

not  be  productive  of  much  good  by  the  way  of 
self-improvement.  David  was  a  shepherd  boy, 
and  through  his  devotion  to  God  andhisdihgent 
appHcation  he  became  quahfied  to  shepherd  the 
whole  Israelitish  nation,  becoming  king  by  ap- 
pointment from  God.  Had  he  not  overcome 
by  slaying  the  wild  beasts  that  attacked  his 
sheep  he  would  have  been  of  little  worth  in 
combating  the  giant  that  defied  for  so  long  the 
hosts  of  Israel.  Thus  do  we  see  the  impor- 
tance of  making  the  best  of  our  opportunities. 
Whatever  may  be  the  task  at  hand,  be  it  ever  so 
m.enial,  we  may  not  hope  to  rise  to  a  higher 
plane  until  we  have  done  well  that  which  has 
been  given  us  to  do.  In  the  warm,  pleasant 
days  of  summer,  when  the  sheep  are  halting  at 
the  brook-side  for  their  noonday  rest,  what  an 
excellent  opportunity  for  the  herder  to  improve 
his  mind  and  increase  his  store  of  knowledge 
by  devouring  the  contents  of  a  good  book,  such 
as  the  Bible,  Pilgrim's  Progress  or  others  we 
might  mention.  Then  again  one  might  com- 
mune with  nature  and  call  upon  God  with  no 
human  voice  or  other  discordant  sound  to  dis- 
tract his  mind.  Time  would  fail  us  to  tell  of 
Abraham,  Jacob,  Moses  and  other  great  char- 
acters of  Bible  fame,  who  received  wonderful 
revelations  from  God  and  were  taught  great 

12 


178  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 

spiritual  lessons  while  working  as  shepherds. 
Let  us  contrast  some  of  the  Oriental  cus- 
toms oi  tending  sheep  with  those  of  our  home- 
land that  we  may  better  grasp  the  truths  this 
lesson  is  intended  to  convey.  In  the  tenth 
chapter  of  John  and  the  third  verse  we  read, 
"The  sheep  hear  his  voice;  and  he  calleth  his 
own  sheep  by  name,  and  leadeth  them  out. 
And  when  he  putteth  forth  his  own  sheep,  he 
goeth  before  them,  and  the  sheep  follow  him: 
for  they  know  his  voice."  It  was  the  custom 
for  the  flocks  of  a  considerable  district  to  be 
kept  in  one  fold,  and  each  shepherd  had  his 
sheep  named,  so  that  he  had  but  to  call  them 
out  from  among  the  otliers  each  morning  as  he 
took  them  to  the  pasture  or  common  range. 
He  did  not  drive  them,  but  he  led  the  way  and 
they  followed.  When  danger  affrighted  they 
ran  to  him  for  protection.  We  can  better  see 
how  this  naming  and  calling-out  process  might 
be  practical  when  we  consider  tha:t  each  flock 
consisted  of  but  a  few  sheep,  perhaps  less  than 
a  hundred,  yet  we  read  of  some  of  the  flocks' 
being  managed  this  way  that  numbered  as  high 
as  four  hundred.  However,  so  accustomed 
were  the  sheep  to  the  shepherd's  voice  that  they 
had  but  to  hear  him  speak  and  they  obeyed 
immediately. 


A  SHEPHERD  S  TENT 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  i8i 

By  this  eastern  custom  we  get  a  truer  con- 
ception of  our  relationship  to  our  heavenly 
Shepherd.  Christ  loves  us  as  individuals,  calls 
us  by  name  and  leads  the  way  beside  pleasant 
streams  and  prolific  fields,  that  we  may  not 
hunger  6r  thirst.  Notice  that  He  does  not 
drive  us,  but  leads  us  gently.  He  is  always 
present  to  hear  our  prayers  and  grant  us  aid 
when  we  call  upon  Him.  But  if  we  would  be 
the  recipients  of  His  blessings  we  must  obey 
His  voice  and  follow  where  He  leads,  otherwise 
we  imbibe  a  roving  disposition  and  go  running 
over  the  world  seeking  satisfaction  and  finding 
it  not. 

When  the  enemy  of  our  souls  is  roaring 
without,  our  only  safety  is  to  keep  following 
our  Shepherd. 

"I  know  not  where  I  am  going, 
But  well  do  I  know  my  guide." 

May  we  be  trustful  and  obedient  to  His 
voice  that  no  danger  may  befall  us  while  mak- 
ing this  journey  to  heaven. 


i82  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 


A  LUCRATIVE  BUSINESS 


MANY  of  our  readers  whose  knowledge  of 
the  sheep  industr}^  is  limited  to  the  fif- 
teen or  twenty  head  possessed  by  the 
humble  farmer  would  be  overwhelmed  at  the 
sight  of  some  of  the  vast  flocks  belonging  to  the 
ranchers  of  the  West.  In  Montana,  Idaho, 
Utah  and  other  states,  it  is  no  uncom- 
mon thing  to  see  from  two  to  five  thousand 
head,  in  one  flock  scattered  over  the  mountain- 
sides and  broad  plateaus,  guided  and  \vatched 
over  by  a  single  shepherd  and  his  faithful  dogs. 

No  other  industry,  except  it  be  that  of 
mining,  has  brought  such  rapid  returns  and 
untold  wealth  to -its  devotees  as  that  of  wool- 
growing.  With  free  and  apparently  unlimited 
range  in  many  localities,  men  have  amassed 
f ortuties  in  a  comparatively  short  time. 

Though  the  price  of  wool  is  subject  to 
fluctuations  the  same  as  other  'staple  products, 
the  steady  and  increasing  demand  for  this 
article  of  commerce,  has  kept  the  price  at  such 
a  margin  that  the  wool-grower  has  been  well 
justified  in  choosing  this  means  of  accumulat- 
ing material  wealth. 


1 

li 

1 

"^       -^' 

^0$ 

t^ 

^^^^^^v'                      jxj^  •  ■*  ""^H^  j^mni 

,«' 

it 

DRIVING   SHEEP   THROUGH    A    CHUTE 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  185 

While  men  make  fortunes  at  this  business, 
it  requires  great  labor,  watchfulness,  hardships 
and  sacrifice  on  the  part  of  those  who  have 
charge  of  the  sheep.  During  the  cold,  stormy 
days  of  winter  some  one  has  to  follow  them 
over  the  mountains  and  through  the  valleys 
where  they  subsist  on  the  scant  supply  of  grass 
left  from  the  preceding  summer.  In  the  ex- 
treme northwest  many  herders  as  well  as  sheep 
have  perished  when  sudden  and  severe  storms 
have  overtaken  them. 

Aside  from  inclement  weather,  sheep  have 
many  enemies  with  which  to  contend.  Among 
their  most  common  foes  are  the  wolf  and 
coyote,  which  often  emerge  from  their  hiding 
places  in  the  woods  or  from  among  the  high 
sage  brush  and  pounce  upon  the  unsuspecting 
sheep  while  the  herder  is  doing  duty  at  some 
distant  point.  Or  perhaps  at  night-time  when 
the  flock  is  lying  quietly  in  the  fold,  and  the 
shepherd  asleep,  these  shy  and  bloodthirsty 
creatures  come  prowlin'g  around,  jump  the 
fence  and  begin  their  work  of  killing  sheep. 
They  do  not  always  kill  to  satisfy  their  appe- 
tite for  food  merely,  but  will  often  enter  a  fold 
and  kill  a  number  of  sheep,  apparently  for  the 
sake  of  killing. 

Last,  but  not  least  of  their  enemies  is  a 


i86  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 

disease  called  "scab."  This  is  a  very  conta- 
gious disease,  and  when  one  gets  it,  the  whole 
flock  is  in  imminent  danger  of  becoming  in- 
fected. So  infectious  is  this  disease,  that  sheep 
driven  over  a  range  where  scabby  sheep  have 
grazed,  perhaps  weeks  before,  will  become  in- 
fected. This  disease  is  mostly  confined  to  the 
skin,  and  is  very  noticeable,  inasmuch  as  the 
wool — that  for  which  a  sheep  is  m6st  valued — 
drops  off,  and  he  is  left  without  protection 
from  the  blasting  winds  of  winter.  The  dis- 
ease, however,  may  be  checked  and  ultimately 
cured  by  dipping  in  a  chemical  preparation  for 
this  purpose.  This  is  expensive,  and  when  of 
necessity  done  in  cold  weather,  often  proves 
fatal  to  many  of  the  sheep. 

While  we  have  mentioned  a  few  of  the 
disagreeable  features  and  probable  losses  con- 
nected with  sheep  raising,  those  who  do  not 
make  it  a  success  are  comparatively  few.  Yet 
men  fail  in  this  and  they  fail  in  other  vocations. 
Some  men  are  failures  anywhere  or  at  anything 
they  may  choose.  You  ask  us  why ;  we  answer, 
"Because  Gods  hand  is  against  them."  Some- 
where, sometime,  He  put  His  hand  upon 
them  and  called  them  to  be  shepherds  for  Him, 
but  they  refused,  and  since  that  time  His 
power  and  His  wrath  have  been  against  them. 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  189 

(See  Ezra  8:22.)  Not  only  does  God  with- 
hold prosperity  from  those  who  turn  their 
backs  upon  Him,  but  He  allows  sickness 
and  disease  to  enter  their  homes  in  order  to 
awaken  them  to  the  peril  their  souls  are  in. 

In  the  Bible  much  is  said  about  sheep  and 
shepherds.  God  compares  His  people  to  sheep, 
and  His  preachers  to  shepherds.  In  days  of 
old  there  were  false  shepherds  and  true  shep- 
herds. At  different  epochs  the  children  of 
Israel  were  led  by  such  men  of  faithfulness 
and  sagacity  as  Moses,  Joshua,  David  and  oth- 
ers. Under  their  leadership  and  protection 
they  worshiped  God,  and  had  victory  over  the 
heathen  nations  about  them.  Nevertheless 
false  shepherds  who  cared  more  for  the  fleece 
than  they  did  for  the  flock,  were  much  in  evi- 
dence. The  sheep  became  scattered  because 
there  was  no  true  shepherd,  and  they  became 
mea^t  for  all  the  beasts  of  the  field.  They 
wandered  through  all  the  mountains  and  were 
scattered  upon  the  face  of  the  earth,  and  none 
did  search  or  seek .  after  them.  Read  in 
Ezekiel  34  of  the  awful  condition  which  then 
existed. 

There  are  many  false  shepherds  in  the 
land  to-day.  They  have  not  bound  up  the 
wounded ;  they  have  not  fed  the  hungry  on  the 


190 


FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 


bread  from  heaven.  Greedy  for  filthy  lucre, 
they  have  taken  the  fleece  and  left  the  flock 
to  perish  and  be  devoured  by  the  beasts  of 
sin.  The  retribution  these  false  shepherds  will 
suffer  at  the  hands  of  an  angry  God  is  beyond 
comprehension.  Our  prayer  is  that  our  read- 
ers will  listen  to  the  voice  of  the  true  Shepherd 
and  seek  the  fold  which  He  has  prepared  for 
them. 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN   .  191 

THE  RICHES  OF  EARTH 


FOR  EVERY  BEAST  of  the  forest  is 
mine,  and  the  cattle  upon  a  thousand 
hills.  I  know  all  the  fowls  of  the 
mountains:  and  the  wild  beasts  of  the  field 
are  mine.  "^  *  The  world  is  mine,  and  the  ful- 
ness thereof."  In  noting  this  scripture  we 
get  an  idea  of  the  great  wealth  of  God  in  ma- 
terial things  and  of  the  abundance  of  His  pos- 
sessions. All  the  wealth  of  the  world  is  His, 
yet  it  is  not  to  be  compared  to  the  wealth  in 
spiritual  things  that  He  bestows  upon  His  chil- 
dren. The  wealth  of  the  world  is  ever  on  the 
increase  and  the  cost  of  living  becomes  higher 
and  higher,  hence  greed  and  avarice  are  on 
the  increase,  and  many  are  being  consumed  on 
every  hand  by  these  evils.  Men  take  pride  in 
their  worldly  possessions. 

We  cast  our  eyes  over  the  broad  prairies 
of  the  western  states  and  we  see  cattle  in  every 
direction  and  often  as  far  as  the  eye  can  reach. 
They  bear  certain  brands  and  men  point  to 
them  and  say,  "These  are  my  cattle,''  but  God 
says,  "They  are  mine."  When  we  consider 
these  vast  herds  of  the  mountains  and  plains. 


192  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 

together  with  the  combined  numbers  on  the 
farms  scattered  throughout  the  length  and 
breadth  of  this  vast  country,  we  have  numbers 
beyond  estimation,  yet  this  is  but  a  small  per- 
centage of  the  wealth  of  the  world.  And  it 
all  belongs  to  God.  The  gold  and  the  silver 
in  the  mines  and  banks  are  His,  yet  men  are 
ever  clamoring  to  gain  possession  of  these 
things,  which  in  a  moment  of  time  may  be 
wrested  from  their  grasp  and  they  be  left 
empty-handed. 

A  striking  illustration  of  the  suddenness 
with  which  riches  take  their  flight  occurred 
a  few  days  ago  in  New  York  City,  when  an 
aged  couple  wer^  robbed  of  $i,ooo,  which  rep- 
resented their  life  savings.  They  had  sold 
their  little  farm  in  Wayne  county  and  had 
come  to  the  city  for  the  purpose  of  boarding^ 
a  ste-amer  for  Holland,  their  native  country, 
where  they  expected  to  live  out  their  remaining 
days.  Though  the  man  was  seventy  years  old 
and  the  woman  sixty-eight,  they  seemed  to 
have  gained  but  little  knowledge  of  the  wick- 
edness of  the  world  and  became  an  easy  prey 
to  bunco  men.  At  the  station  the  two  quaint 
travelers  attracted  considerable  attention  as 
they  went  about  arranging  for  the  transpor- 
tation of  their  baggage.     Soon  they  were  ac- 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  193 

costed  by  a  gentlemanly  looking  stranger  who 
volunteered  to  look  out  for  their  belongings. 
He  then  invited  the  old  couple  to  have  luncheon 
with  him.  By  his  kind  attention  the  young 
man  soon  gained  the  entire  confidence  of  the 
unsuspecting  pair,  insomuch  that  the  farmer 
urged  him  to  carry  his  satchel  containing  the 
$1,000  for  him  so  that  it  would  be  safe.  After 
luncheon  the  stranger  excused  himself  and 
disappeared.  Of  course  he  carried  the  money 
with  him  and  the  old  man  was  left  empty- 
handed,  but  wiser.  Wiser  men  than  he,  with 
brighter  prospects  for  the  future  have  had 
their  hopes  shattered  in  a  moment  of  time  by 
the  sudden  loss  of  earthly  goods. 

When  men  do  gain  control  of  earthly 
substance  they  have  to  use  every  precaution 
in  order  to  retain  it,  showing  the  greed  and 
dishonesty  that  abound  in  the  land,  and  really 
man  possesses  nothing  in  material  things  that 
he  is  not  in  danger  of  losing.  The  strongest 
bank  in  existence  may  be  robbed  or  destroyed 
by  fire  or  earthquake.  The  stockman  of  the 
West  must  have  all  his  animals  branded  with 
a  hot  iron  or  he  will  lose  them.  Even  then 
the  country  abounds  with  those  who  are  so 
daring  and  full  of  greed  that  they  do  not  hesi- 
tate to  alter  or  disfigure  a  brand  belonging  to 

13 


194  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 

another,  or  if  it  is  beef  that  they  want,  they 
think  little  of  butchering  another's  steer  and 
destroying  the  hide.  But  invariably  their  sin 
finds  them  out  sooner  or  later,  and  if  sufficient 
proof  is  not  produced  to  bring  them  to  justice, 
they  go  through  life  branded  as  thieves  and 
robbers  to  await  their  sentence  at  the  hand  of 
One  from  whom  nothing  is  hid. 

So  the  whole  world  is  at  strife,  and  na- 
tions, corporations  and  individuals  are  fighting 
and  contending  for  earthly  things,  and  the 
more  they  get  the  more  they  want,  and  none 
^  are  really  satisfied,  though  they  get  that  for 
which  they  seek.  The  great  command  is  to 
''Seek  ye  first  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  his 
righteousness;  and  all  these  thing  shall  be 
added  unto  you."  This  text  does  not  mean 
that  the  seeker  shall  come  into  possession  of 
vast  herds  of  cattle,  or  that  he  will  be  given 
a  single  cow,  or  that  he  may  have  houses  and 
lands  deeded  to  him,  but  it  implies  that  all 
things  necessary  for  one's  comfort  and  welfare 
shall  be  provided  from  God's  rich  storehouse 
to  those  who  seek  first  His  kingdom  and  right- 
eousness. "All  these  things  do  the  nations  of 
the  world  seek  after."  This  scripture  does  not 
say  seek  the  things  of  the  world,  and  pardon, 
salvation  and  riches  of  grace  will  be  added,  but 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  197 

it  enjoins  us  to  do  just  the. opposite.  When 
we  see  a  person  devoting  all  his  time  and  spend- 
ing his  strength  and  using  his  talents  and 
ability  toward  the  accumulation  of  material 
things,  we  are  perfectly  assured  that  he  is  not 
very  rich  toward  God  and  is  not  laying  up 
treasures  in  heaven. 

In  the  face  of  this  command,  "Seek  ye 
first  the  kingdom  of  God,"  is  it  not  obvious 
that  the  multitudes  of  professed  Christians  and 
church  members  are  on  a  side-track  and  labor- 
ing in  vain  for  a  crown  that  comes  to  naught? 
People  all  down  the  ages  have  been  ruined  for 
time  and  eternity  by  the  riches  of  earth  and 
have  never  realized  their  folly  until  it  was  too 
late  to  lay  hold  on  the  true  riches.  It  is  a  true 
saying  of  the  rich,  "They  are  hemmed  round 
with  common  misery:  they  go  down  to  hell 
without  thinking  of  it,  because  their  staircase 
thither  is  of  gold  and  porphyry."  The  way 
to  torment  is  the  way  of  ease  and  luxury,  and 
we  only  have  to  look  about  us  in  order  to  see 
which  way  the  multitudes  are  traveling.  And 
in  one  sense  it  is  not  an  easy  way,  for  riches 
do  not  give  peace  and  rest,  but  they  add  duties 
and  responsibilities  to  lives  that  bring  quick 
destruction.  And  it  is  not  alone  those  who 
come  in  possession  of  riches  that  are  ruined  by 


198  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 

them.  A  man  may  be  as  poor  as  a  church 
mouse,  but  so  long  as  he  has  a  covetous  nature 
and  is  reaching  out  after  earthly  things,  he  is 
controlled  by  this  unholy  desire  and  is  shutting 
himself  out  from  the  storehouse  of  grace,  the 
riches  of  which  are  far  above  rubies  and  dia- 
monds. 

Mr.  Spurgeon  tells  of  meeting  a  man  in 
the  course  of  his  walks  who  had  lost  his  legs 
and  was  obliged  to  hobble  along  on  wooden  ones. 
On  questioning  him  he  learned  that  he  had  been 
a  soldier  in  his  younger  days.  With  a  few 
companions  he  had  one  time  attacked  a  party 
of  the  enemy  and  had  overcome  them,  after 
which  they  began  to  load  themselves  with  the 
spoil.  His  comrades  were  satisfied  with  little, 
but  he  began  to  load  himself  with  as  much  as 
he  could  carry.  They  were  pursued ;  his  com- 
panions escaped,  but  he  was  overtaken  by  rea- 
son of  his  great  burden  and  wounded,  and  only 
saved  his  life  afterwards  by  losing  his  legs. 
Just  so  has  the  pursuit  of  worldly  things 
robbed  men  of  health,  virtue,  character,  hap- 
piness and  eternal  life  all  down  the  ages.  Yet 
men  seek  it  in  spite  of  all  God's  warnings  and 
the  examples  that  are  given  us  on  every  hand. 

"Because  thou  sayest,  I  am  rich,  and  in- 
creased with  goods,  and  have  need  of  nothing; 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  201 

and  knowest  not  that  thou  art  wretched,  and 
miserable,  and  poor,  and  blind,  and  naked:  I 
counsel  thee  to  buy  of  me  gold  tried  in  the  fire, 
that  thou  mayest  be  rich;  and  white  raiment, 
that  thou  mayest  be  clothed,  and  that  the 
shame  of  thy  nakedness  do  not  appear;  and 
anoint  thine  eyes  with  eyesalve,  that  thou  may- 
est see."  True  riches  do  not  consist  in 
houses  and  lands,  stocks  and  bonds,  nor  in  vast 
herds  of  cattle,  but  in  righteousness  and  peace 
and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost.  And  when  true 
riches  are  once  possessed  they  may  not  be  swept 
away  in  a  moment  of  time,  as  are  the  earthly 
riches,  provided  one  is  diligent  in  business.  If 
calamity,  or  distress,  or  persecution  come,  in- 
stead of  being  swept  away  they  increase  at 
a  rapid  rate  and  richer  and  richer  does  one  be- 
come. Though  one  be  possessed  with  all  the 
wealth  of  the  world  and  have  not  the  true 
riches,  he  is  wretched  and  miserable  and  poor 
and  blind  and  naked,  and  at  his  end  his  sad 
condition  will  be  fearfully  manifest  to  three 
worlds.  Would  that  we  could  get  the  hearts 
of  the  people  won  away  from  the  things  of 
time  that  they  might  lay  hold  on  the  eternal 
riches  and  save  themselves  the  torment  and 
everlasting  destruction  that  is  sure  to  come 
upon  them. 


202  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 


WOUND  UP" 


AMONG  OTHER  THINGS  that  a  cow- 
boy wishes  to  excel  in  is  the  art  of 
throwing  the  lariat.  To  be  a  good 
"roper"  or  a  good  rider  insures  for  one  an  en- 
viable reputation  among  one's  friends  and 
when  at  work  on  the  range  there  are  numer- 
ous opportunities  for  the  cowboy  to  show  his 
ability  for  work  of  this  nature.  As  with  rid- 
ing, so  it  is  with  roping,  for  one  to  be  expert 
at  either  he  must  practice  much  and  keep  un- 
ceasingly at  it.  "He  couldn't  ride  a  pack- 
horse,"  is  an  oft-repeated  expression,  and  is 
said  of  those  who  have  not  acquired  the  ability 
to  ride  a  bucking  bronco,  and  of  one  who  is  un- 
skilled with  the  rope  it  is  said,  "He  couldn't 
rope  a  post." 

There  are  good  riders  and  poor  riders,  and 
there  are  men  who  are  expert  wnth  the  lariat 
and  seldom  miss  a  throw,  even  under  difficul- 
ties and  in  cases  of  emergency  their  aim  and 
nerve  do  not  fail  them,  but  there  are  the  in- 
experienced who  would  have  a  hard  time  get- 
ting a  noose  over  an  animal's  head,  much  less 
about  its  feet.     Nevertheless,    the    best    and 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  203 

most  experienced  men  of  the  range  come  to 
grief  at  times  by  the  unexpected  happening, 
or  when  in  some  unguarded  moment  they  allow 
a  fractious  horse  or  maddened  cow  to  get  the 
advantage  of  them,  even  though  they  are,  of 
all  men,  most  enduring,  composed  and  unmind- 
ful of  danger. 

In  our  illustration  the  artist  has  pictured 
the  roping  of  a  steer.  While  he  is  "roped"  his 
captor  and  horse  for  the  moment,  seem  to  be 
in  the  worse  plight,  and  are  in  danger  of  being 
drawn  over  the  embankment,  entangled  in  the 
rope  and  dragged.  A  steer  weighing  1,200 
pounds  is  a  much  stronger  animal  than  a  horse 
weighing  900  or  a  1,000,  and  it  is  only  through 
the  dexterous  movements  of  the  roper  and  the 
horse  that  the  steer  is  controlled  or  thrown 
upon  the  ground.  One  of  the  main  points 
in  gaining  the  advantage  of  an  animal  that 
is  "roped''  is  to  prevent  its  running  around 
the  horse  and  getting  him  entangled,  a  thing 
which  sometimes  happens  and  endangers  the 
welfare  of  both  horse  and  rider.  Men  have 
been  seriously  injured  in  this  way,  while  there 
is  no  doubt  but  that  some  have  been  dragged 
to  their  death  by  infuriated  animals  in  their 
eagerness  to  escape  their  tormentors.  A  mad 
steer,  or  worse  still,  a  mad  cow,  is  not  an  easv 


204  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 

thing  to  manage  at  the  end  of  a  lariat,  and 
often  turns  upon  the  horse  and  gores  him  with 
her  sharp  horns,  and  it  sometimes  becomes 
necessary  to  reheve  the  situation  with  the  aid  of 
a  six-shooter. 

On  a  spring  round-up,  coming  from  a 
day's  ride  one  evening,  the  men  drove  into 
camp  a  cow  with  an ^eight-months-old  calf  run- 
ning at  her  side.  They  intended  to  use  the 
youngster  to  replenish  the  larder  of  the  "chuck 
wagon,''  and  when  near  enough  to  the  desired 
spot  an  attempt  was  made  to  rope  him,  but 
owing  to  his  close  proximity  to  his  mother's 
side,  as  well  as  to  the  poor  aim  of  the  man 
with  the  rope,  the  noose  intended  for  him  fell 
on  the  larger  animal,  and  the  calf,  for  the 
moment,  went  free.  The  man  with  the  rope 
had  caught  more  than  he  had  bargained  fof, 
and  her  royal  highness,  already  worried  to  the 
fighting  point  by  being  cut  out  from  the  herd 
and  run  into  camp  so  unceremoniously,  was 
trying  the  strength  of  the  rope  and  saddle 
cinches,  as  well  as  the  metal  of  the  horse, 
while  her  captor  was  crying  for  some  one  to 
help  him  let  her  go.  It  is  sometimes  easy 
enough  to  get  a  rope  over  a  wild  horse  or  cow, 
but  for  one  to  let  such  an  animal  go  and  still 
retain  possession  of  one's  lariat,  which  may 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  207 

be  an  expensive  rawhide  one,  usually  requires 
the  assistance  of  another  roper.  Of  course 
when  one  is  roping  animals  by  the  feet  he  has 
but  to  slack  his  rope  and  they  go  free. 

In  this  instance  another  was  not  long  in 
getting  his  rope  on  the  old  cow's  heels  and  a 
tightening  of  the  two  ropes  stretched  her  out 
upon  the  ground.  "Big  Dick"  was  requested 
to  dismount  and  remove  the  noose  from  her 
neck,  which  he  readily  proceeded  to  do,  leav- 
ing his  horse  standing  a  few  yards  away.  The 
man  manipulating  the  foot  rope  w^as  supposed 
to  hold  the  cow  down  until  Dick  got  back  to 
his  horse,  but  his  desire  to  see  some  fun  got  the 
best  of  him  and  he  slackened  the  rope  and  let 
the  cow  up.  In  an  instant  she  was  after  Dick, 
but  being  without  horns  she  failed  to  do  more 
than  give  him  a  good  scare  and  a  fast  run  for 
his  horse,  which  he  was  fortunate  enough  to 
put  between  himself  and  his  pursuer.  She 
then  went  bounding  across  the  prairie  in  search 
of  her  doomed  offspring,  but  that  night  before 
spreading  their  blankets  upon  the  ground,  the 
cowboys  made  their  lunch  of  choice  bits  of 
fresh  veal  broiled  over  the  camp-fire. 

A  maddened  cow  with  a  rope  about  her 
neck  is  like  an  evil  habit  that  fastens  itself 
upon  a  man  in  his  course  through  life.     In  his 


2o8  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 

desire  for  happiness  he  saunters  forth  into  the 
world;  his  affections  fasten  upon  objects  that  in 
themselves  seem  harmless  and  perfectly  man- 
ageable, but  soon  desire  increases,  and  what 
was  first  moderate  indulgence  has  become 
an  enormous  evil,  a  soul-destroying  habit,  and 
he  who  was  once  master  of  the  situation,  of 
himself,  finds  he  is  "wound  up"  by  the  cords  of 
sin  and  being  rapidly  dra;wn  by  a  force 
stronger  than  himself  toward  the  embankment 
of  eternal  despair.  About  us  everywhere  we 
see  men  who  are  in  the  embrace  of  evil  habits, 
and  are  slowly  but  surely  being  drawn  to  their 
doom.  Many  seem  to  be  perfectly  oblivious  of 
their  danger,  while  others,  awakened  to  their 
condition,  struggle  in  vain  for  the  mastery. 

What  a  terrible  picture  is  a  man  with  a 
conscience  stung  by  remorse,  struggling  with 
his  sinful  habits  and  finding  them  too  strong 
for  him!  The  power  of  God  alone  can  save 
the  wretch  from  his  terrible  condition,  but  if 
he  be  destitute  of  faith,  his  remorseful  agonies 
will  but  make  him  more  hopelessly  the  slave  of 
his  passions.  "Can  the  Ethiopian  change  his 
skin,  or  the  leopard  his  spots?  then  may  ye 
also  do  good,  that  are  accustomed  to  do  evil." 
No  man  can,  in  his  own  strength,  quit  sin  and 
turn  himself  loose  from  habits  that  have  once 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  209 

fastened  upon  him.  Like  the  cowboy  with 
the  rope  on  the  maddened  cow,  he  must  call  for 
some  one  to  help  him  let  go.  The  quickest 
way  to  get  the  advantage  of  a  wild  horse  or 
cow  is  to  rope  it  by  the  feet  and  throw  it  im- 
mediately and  ^'hog-tit^'  it.  There  are  men 
who  can  thus  throw  and  tie  a  wild  steer  in 
much  less  than  a  minute.  Just  as  quickly 
would  God  have  a  man  to  get  the  advantage 
over  his  evil  habits  and  propensities,  but  owing 
to  the  weakness  of  the  flesh,  unbelief  and  in- 
firmities, it  often  requires  months  and  years 
for  one  to  down  an  evil  habit  that  has  once 
had  control  in  one's  life.  But  far  better  that 
it  should  require  a  long  period  of  time  for  such 
a  victory  than  for  the  evil  to  run  its  course  and 
destroy  its  victim  soul  and  body,  which  would 
be  the  inevitable  result  if  it  were  not  overcome. 
Sin  is  indulged  in  without  thought  of  the 
consequences  and  when  its  resistless  bands 
have  entwined  themselves  around  its  victim, 
then  he  awakens  to  find  it  is  too  late  to  make 
his  escape.  Therefore  the  only  safe  way  is 
to  flee  every  form  of  sin  and  worldly  pleasure, 
and  dread  contact  with  it  as  one  would  the  most 
deadly  serpent.  It  is  the  sudden  stopping  of 
the  little  cow  pony  and  the  planting  of  his  feet 
that  throws  the  fleeing  steer  upon  the  ground. 

14 


210  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 

Just  SO  will  a  man's  determination  to  live  right- 
eously and  his  resistence  against  evil  down  it 
in  his  life  and  enable  him  to  be  an  overcomer 
and  victor  on  the  battle-field  of  this  world. 

God  created  men  to  be  free,  the  master  of 
themselves,  but  ''he  that  committeth  sin  is  the 
servant  of  sin,"  and  no  man  can  call  himself 
free  who  gives  way  to  smoking,  drinking,  gam- 
bling, or  any  form  of  evil.  He  who  does  not 
down  the  evil  propensities  within  him  will 
eventually  become  their  bond-slave,  and  will  re- 
ceive the  wages  of  sin,  which  is  death. 

Reader,  what  is  your  condition  to-day? 
Stop  a  moment  and  think.  That  pleasure, 
that  pastime  you  indulge  in  so  frequently  that 
affords  you  but  momentary  pleasure,  is  the 
beginning  of  an  enormous  evil  that  will  soon 
control  your  whole  life  and  wreck  you  soul  and 
body  for  time  and  eternity.  Cease  to  do  it 
before  you  reach  that  awful  state  of  remorse 
that  men  come  to  and  cry  for  deliverance  only 
to  find  that  they  have  gone  too  far  and  the 
gulf  has  opened  to  receive  them.  To  you  who 
are  struggling  for  deliverance  from  evil  habits 
we  want  to  say  there  is  hope — you  may  be  free 
from  every  task-master  and  have  every  cord 
loosed.  But  you  must  cry  to  Him  who  alone 
is  able  to  down  the  evil  in  your  life.     He  will 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN 


211 


make  you  a  free  man  and  put  within  you  a  song 
of  deliverance.  "If  the  Son  therefore  shall 
make  you  free,  ye  shall  be  free  indeed/' 


■ 

mK^^^^^S^t 

^^^^^ 

W  fcgs^syyftg*^^^                  "'    j. 

^^^ 

m 

212  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 

THEY  SEEK  A  COUNTRY 

IN  ALL  AGES  people  have  been  on  the 
move,  seeking  new  countries,  better  cli- 
matic conditions  and  more  congenial  sur- 
roundings that  they  may  labor  and  enjoy  pros- 
perity in  material  things.  In  the  course  of 
centuries  a  country's  resources  often  become 
apparently  exhausted,  and  there  seems  to  be 
little  for  the  increasing  population  to  devote 
their  time  and  energies  to,  or  perhaps  a  new 
country  has  just  been  discovered  which  offers 
better  advantage  for  obtaining  a  livelihood. 
The  news  is  heralded  back  to  the  home  coun- 
try by  those  who  have  gone  on  before,  and  the 
result  is  many  of  the  people  change  their  place 
of  residence  with  the  hope  of  bettering  their 
condition.  , 

In  the  year  1849  when  gold  was  dis- 
covered in  California  and  the  news  reached  the 
eastern  states,  there  was  no  hardship  but  what 
the  people  were  willing  to  endure  in  order  to 
reach  the  land  of  gold.  With  dreams  of  pre- 
cious nuggets  and  great  wealth  haunting  them, 
the  men  hitched  their  oxen  to  their  "prairie 
schooners"  and  started  on  the  long  and  peril- 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  213 

ous  journey,  many  of  them  leaving  their 
friends  and  loved  ones  behind  never  to  see 
them  again.  Others  took  their  families  with 
them  only  to  be  murdered  by  the  cruel  and 
bloodthirsty  Indians. 

However,  many  reached  the  coveted  land, 
and  not  a  few  came  in  possession  of  great 
wealth.  So  it  is  to-day.  Everyw^here  people 
are  on  the  move,  seeking  for  better  conditions 
of  living.  Nearly  every  ship  sailing  west 
across  the  Atlantic  carries  a  goodly  number 
of  passengers  who  are  taking  up  their  residence 
in  the  United  States.  Australia  and  Canada 
are  also  attracting  many  Europeans.  For  the 
most  part  they  have  never  seen  these  new  coun- 
tries, hence  it  might  be  said  they  are  entering 
them  by  faith.  Friends  and  relatives  who  pre- 
ceded them  a  few  years  previous,  have  told 
them  of  the  better  advantages  which  prevail 
in  the  United  States  and  elsewhere,  and  they, 
of  course,  believe  their  reports  and  come. 
Some  of  them  leave  their  wives  and  children 
on  the  other  side  of  the  ocean  and  expect 
to  have  them  join  them  within  the  course  of 
a  few  months  or  years. 

It  seems  there  is  no  sacrifice  so  great,  or 
journey  so  perilous  that  men  will  not  make  in 
order  to  better  their  condition  in  this  life.  Tell 


214  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 

them  of  a  land  that  abounds  in  gold  and  won- 
derful opportunities  and  they  lose  no  time  in 
getting  on  the  scene.  People  are  not  indiffer- 
ent to  the  reports  that  come  from  newly  dis- 
covered gold  fields.  They  at  once  begin  to 
enquire  as  to  the  location,  distance,  the  cost  of 
transportation,  etc.,  to  such  lands,  and  soon 
their  hearts  are  set  on  going  to  the  new 
territory. 

We  want  to  tell  people  about  another  land; 
Its  location  is  not  learned  by  consulting  your 
atlas,  neither  does  your  physical  geography 
describe  it  in  the  least.  "Ah,  but  what  land 
is  that?''  you  may  ask,  ''and  what  book  may  I 
read  to  learn  something  about  it?"  That  land 
is  the  heavenly  land,  and  the  book  which  tells 
about  it  is  the  inspired  word  of  God.  Trans- 
portation companies  are  not  advertising  this 
*  land,  neither  are  real  estate  men  offering  in- 
ducements there,  but  the  Bible  is  our  guide. 
Perhaps  some  of  you  will  say,  "I  want  other 
evidence  besides  the  naked  word  of  God  be- 
fore I  will  believe  in  such  a  place."  Very 
well;  turn  to  the  pages  of  history  and  we  see 
how  holy  men  and  women  all  down  the  ages 
have  written  of  this  eternal  land  where  all  is 
complete  happiness,  and  sorrow  and  trouble 
are  not  known.     On  dying  beds  God's  saints 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  217 

with  faces  aglow  with  an  unearthly  light, 
have  looked  into  the  very  vestibule  of  heaven, 
as  it  were,  and  beheld  things  impossible  to  tell. 

Does  not  such  experiences  of  godly  peo- 
ple combined  with  the  eternal  word  of  God 
convince  you  of  the  reality  of  such  a  place? 
What  man  or  woman  cannot  interest  himself 
in  the  land  above?  Multitudes  give  it  but  a 
passing  thought.  You  hear  of  earthly  things 
and  you  believe  and  are  greatly  interested,  but 
when  we  tell  you  of  heavenly  things  you  are 
skeptical  and  unbelieving.  What  must  your 
fate  be  in  the  end?  Surely  you  will  not  be 
carried  to  a  place  that  you  do  not  believe  ex- 
ists, or  hope  to  get  there  by  taking  a  route 
other  than  that  marked  out  in  the  guide-book. 

To  reach  this  land  we  take  passage  on  a 
boat  whose  escutcheon  bears  the  word  "faith,'' 
we  are  borne  over  the  boisterous  waves  by 
"faith,"  and  are  guided  past  the  treacherous 
shoals  by  "faith,''  and  when  at  last  the  perilous 
voyage  is  over,  and  we  stand  at  the  gates  of 
the  beautiful  and  eternal  city,  "faith"  will  be 
the  password  by  which  we  enter. 

The  immigrant  officers  are  very  strict  in 
admitting  foreigners  to  the  United  States. 
They  are  subjected  to  a  very  close  examination 
and  many  very  searching  questions  are  put  to 


2i8  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 

each  one.  While  many  answer  the  require- 
ments of  citizenship,  it  is  often  the  case  that 
some  are  rejected  and  must  be  returned  to  their 
own  country.  It  may  be  that  they  are  effected 
with  some  disease  or  are  maimed  in  some  way. 
Think  of  a  person's  traveling  three  thousand 
miles  with  hopes  of  entering  upon  a  new  era 
and  in  a  new  country  only  to  be  rejected  and 
turned  back  to  his  old  haunts.  It  is  a  sad 
picture,  but  must  be  suffered  by  some. 

Imagine  your  consternation  and  despair, 
if  you  can,  on  finding  at  the  last  great  day 
you  are  ineligible  to  enter  heaven.  You  will 
be  met  at  the  gates  by  One  whose  shining 
apparel  will  dazzle  your  eyes.  His  penetrat- 
ing gaze  will  pierce  your  inmost  being  to  the 
very  depths.  If  there  be  any  disease  (sin) 
lurking  within  your  soul  you  will  be  refused 
admittance.  What  then?  Ah  Hsten!  You 
will  be  relegated  to  that  place  that  has  been 
the  dumping  ground  for  sinners  and  unright- 
eous men  and  women  all  down  the  ages — to 
that  place  of  utter  despair  and  torment  where 
every  ray  of  light  and  all  hope  have  vanished 
forever. 

It  is  comforting  to  know  that  we  may  be 
prepared  and  become  qualified  to  pass  muster 
at  the  quarantine  station  of  the  skies  and  be 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN 


219 


admitted  to  the  city,  and  once  inside  we  will  go 
no  more'  out  forever.  Reader,  the  Lord  in- 
vites you  to  read  His  word,  yea,  He  commands 
you  to  "search  the  scriptures"  and  to  make 
your  calling  and  election  sure. 


OF    THE    FIRST    FAMILIES 


220  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 


THE  INDIAN 


THE  accompanying  pictures  bring  to  mind 
the  race  of  people  who  once  roamed 
the  western  plains.  But  long,  since  has 
their  power  and  liberty  been  wrested  from 
them  by  the  superior  strength  and  strategy  of 
the  white  man,  and  instead  of  roaming  the 
range  at  will  and  preying  upon  the  lives  and 
property  of  the  white  settlers,  they  are  now 
confined  to  reservations,  and  number  about 
five  millions. 

We  look  upon  the  Indian  in  his  primitive 
state,  and  we  marvel  at  his  savage  nature,  and 
his  apparent  low  aim  in  life.  With  a  thirst 
for  blood  and  a  gluttonous  appetite  for  the 
wild  meats  of  the  forest,  he  seemed  content 
to  live  and  fight,  and  hunt  and  die  with  the 
hope  of  going  to  a  happier  hunting  ground 
upon  parting  this  life.  Little  did  he  care  for 
the  furnished  homes  or  cultivated  lands  of  his 
white-faced  brethren,  nor  did  he  care  to  adopt 
the  costumes  worn  by  civilized  people,  but 
quite  content  was  he  to  continue  to  attire  him- 
self in  the  bright-colored  blankets  his  fore- 
fathers had  worn  from  time  immemorial. 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  221 

His  ideas  of  home  life  reached  no  higher 
than  a  tepee  and  a  few  rude  utensils  which  even 
to  the  Indians  are  indespensible  to  life.  Their 
ponies  were  their  wealth.  Without  them,  life 
would  have  been  monotonous  indeed.  They 
would  have  been  handicapped  in  hunting  buf- 
faloes, which  were  valued  so  highly  for  food 
as  well  as  for  the  robes  made  from  their  skins. 
Then,  too,  a  young  Indian's  chances  for  get- 
ting the  girl  of  his  choice  depended  largely 
upon  the  number  of  ponies  he  possessed,  as  it 
was  the  custom  to  buy  her  in  this  way  from 
her  father.  Yet  for  all  this  he  had  little  re- 
gard for  the  life  of  his  horse,  often  treating 
him  unmercifully  and  riding  him  up  and  down 
hill  just  as  long  as  he  could  go. 

However,  among  all  races  of  people  there 
are  those  whose  aspirations  are  higher  and  who 
seem  to  live  in  a  somewhat  different  realm  from 
that  of  their  fellowmen.  Take  Jabez,  of  Bible 
history,  for  instance,  we  read  that  he  ''was 
more  honorable  than  his  brethren."  This  may 
be  easily  accounted  for,  because  he  was  in  the 
habit  of  calling  on  the  Lord  to  keep  him  from 
evil.  Evidently  he  got  his  prayers  through, 
hence  this  splendid  eulogy  pronounced  upon 
him.  This  shows  us  that  a  man  may  rise 
above  his  surroundings  and  achieve  something 


222  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 

of  worth  in  the  world.  The  secret  Hes  in  get- 
ting in  the  will  of  the  Lord. 

So  even  among  the  Indians  some  notable 
examples  of  character  have  been  brought  be- 
fore the  world.  But  generally  speaking,  an 
Indian  is  an  Indian,  and  for  a  man  to  try  to 
make  anything  else  out  of  him  is  a  hard  task. 
Take  the  most  promising  young  man  from 
among  his  people,  if  you  please,  place  him  in 
a  school  in  the  city,  surround  him  with  con- 
ditions that  are  conducive  to  the  highest  civ- 
ilization, let  him  become  cultured  and  abreast 
with  all  the  wisdom  of  the  world,  and  he  is 
still  an  Indian.  Let  him  return  to  his  own 
people,  and  instead  of  exhorting  them  to  lay 
aside  their  barbarous  ways,  he  will  drift  back 
to  the  old  manner  of  living.  It  will  be  an  easy 
matter  for  him  to  exchange  his  "white  man's 
clothing"  for  that  worn  by  his  people.  Gladly, 
too,  will  he  exchange  the  tempting  viands  of 
the  city  life  for  the  more  substantial  diet 
of  venison,  fish,  or  perhaps  roast  dog,  as  the 
case  may  be.  Of  course  there  are  exceptions 
to  this  rule,  but  the  downward  and  backward 
trend  will  be  most  fearfully  manifest. 

But  why  hold  up  the  Indian  as  an  example 
of  low  aspirations,  and  as  one  who  possesses 
nothing  that  would  characterize  him  as  being 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  225 

one  of  God's  creatures?  Is  it  not  unjust?  Let 
us  come  closer  home.  Go  to  the  highest  walks 
of  society,  take  a  look  at  the  so-called  Christian 
church  of  to-day,  if  you  please,  study  her  col- 
lectively and  her  people  individually,  observe 
their  wearing  apparel,  their  daily  lives,  etc.  If 
your  spiritual  perception  is  keen  and  your  eyes 
have  been  anointed  by  Jesus  Christ,  you  will 
find  that  their  cold,  formal  manner  of  worship 
creates  in  your  breast  less  enthusiasm  than  an 
Indian  war  dance;  that  the  thundering  pipe 
organ  and  hollow,  operatic  singing  is  more  re- 
pulsive to  your  ears  than  the  beat  of  the  tom- 
tom and  the  lingo  sung  by  the  red  men.  Then 
too,  the  wearing  apparel,  and  especially  the  hats 
and  hobble  skirts  worn  by  "up-to-date''  women 
will  look  far  more  hideous  to  the  humble  child 
of  God  than  the  long  string  of  eagle  feathers 
worn  down  the  backs  of  the  Indian  Chiefs. 

Considering  that  all  these  things  are  so 
empty  and  obnoxious  to  a  Spirit-filled  follower 
of  Christ,  does  it  not  follow  that  they  are  a 
stench  in  the  nostrils  of  God?  We  dare  say 
it  makes  the  angels  weep  and  God  himself  turn 
His  back  on  the  whole  scene,  while  the  devil 
holds  high  carnival  over  his  victory. 

The  Indian,  though  treacherous  and 
cruel-hearted  in  his  nature,  will  have  far  less 

15 


226  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 

to  account  for  in  the  Day  of  Judgment  than 
myriads  of  those  of  our  day  who  profess  to  be 
Christians.  The  Indian  knows  no  better,  the 
white  man  does.  At  the  Judgment,  people 
will  be  dealt  with  according  to  the  light 
they  have  had.  Though  the  white  man  lives 
on  a  higher  plane,  so  to  speak,  than  the  savage, 
he  is  just  as  void  of  spiritual  life  and  has  the 
elements  of  sin  in  his  heart  that  will  sink  him 
to  the  lowest  depths  of  perdition  on  parting 
this  life. 

But  is  there  no  remedy  for  the  sin  and 
gigantic  evils  of  our  day?  We  say,  ''Yes," 
with  emphasis.  Even  an  Indian  may  be  trans- 
formed and  have  the  Indian  nature  taken  out 
of  him  by  having  the  blood  of  Christ  applied 
to  his  heart.  So  can  a  proud,  worldly,  life- 
less, idol-worshiping  church  member  have  the 
heart  changed  and  become  a  meek  and  obedient 
child  of  God. 

May  God  help  people  to  see  that  church 
membership  is  not  salvation;  that  outward 
adornment  is  not  purity  of  heart — ''without 
which  no  man  shall  see  the  Lord."  "Be  not 
conformed  to  this  world:  but  be  ye  trans- 
formed by  the  renewing  of  your  mind,  that  ye 
may  prove  what  is  that  good,  and  acceptable, 
and  perfect,  will  of  God"  (Rom.  12:  2). 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  227 

WATCH  AND  PRAY 


IT  IS  REPORTED  that  2,346  deer  were 
killed  by  hunters  in  the  Adirondacks  dur- 
ing the  season  of  1910.  This  is  not 
strange,  but  we  are  impressed  with  the  fact 
that  a  deer  has  a  slim  chance  for  life  in  this 
day  and  age  of  the  world.  Though  possessed 
with  marked  instinct  for  protecting  its  life  few 
of  them  escape  the  aim  of  the  hunter.  How- 
ever, instances  have  been  cited  where  a  single 
deer  lived  in  a  certain  locality  for  years  and 
by  his  alertness  or  superior  instinct,  escaped 
his  enemies,  though  hunters  often  followed  his 
track  in  the  snow  for  miles.  Perhaps  no  ani- 
mal is  more  on  the  alert  for  an  enemy  than  the 
deer  and  great  caution  is  necessary  in  order 
to  obtain  an  effective  shot.  Yet  the  cunning 
hunter  spares  no  pains  nor  shrinks  any  hard- 
ship in  order  to  secure  his  coveted  prize,  and 
where  there  used  to  be  hundreds  of  these  inno- 
cent creatures  hardly  a  single  one  can  be  found. 
We  are  reminded  of  another  hunt  that  is 
continually  going  on  in  the  universe.  Satan, 
the  chief  hunter  is  stalking  the  country  in 
search  of  prey.     For  six  thousand  years  he 


228  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 

has  been  going  through  the  world  ''Seeking 
whom  he  may  devour,"  and  he  knows  his  busi- 
ness well.  His  game  is  the  souls  of  men  and 
few  escape  his  fiery  darts.  Multitudes  in  all 
ages  have  fallen  before  his  deadly  aim  or  been 
taken  in  his  strong  nets,  and  his  work  of 
slaughter  continues  to  increase  with  each  suc- 
ceeding generation.  The  only  way  for  a  per- 
son to  keep  out.  of  range  of  his  guns  is  to 
'Vatch  and  pray."  First,  become  converted 
and  sanctified  that  the  spiritual  eyes  may  be 
opened  and  the  ears  unstopped  that  the  ap- 
proach of  the  enemy  may  be  detected.  Reader, 
"Be  not  deceived,"  Satan  is  on  your  track. 
As  you  go  through  this  world  committing  sin 
and  disobeying  God  you  are  leaving  behind 
a  trail  that  will  betray  you  into  the  hands  of 
the  enemy.  Your  only  hope  is  to  have  the 
marks  of  sin  obliterated  by  the  blood  of  Jesus 
and  put  yourself  under  His  protection.  Do 
it  now,  lest  every  opportunity  soon  be  gone 
from  you  forever. 

Time  and  chance  happen  to  all.  ''For  man 
also  knoweth  not  his  time :  as  the  fishes  that  are 
taken  in  an  evil  net,  and  as  the  birds  that  are 
caught  in  the  snare;  so  are  the  sons  of  men 
snared  in  an  evil  time,  when  it  falleth  sud- 
denly upon  them"  (Eccl.  9:  12). 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  231 

MEDITATION 


WHAT  is  meditation?  We  go  to  the  dic- 
tionary and  read  the  answer:  "The 
turning  or  revolving  of  a  subject  in 
the  mind."  Happy  is  the  man  who  meditates 
upon  the  works  of  God's  hand  and  puts  his 
holy  contemplation  into  practice.  Any  truly 
successful  life  is  given  much  to  meditation. 
No  great  enterprise  comes  by  mere  chance,  but 
is  the  product  of  meditation  and  experiment. 
Meditation  of  the  right  sort  impels  action.  It 
is  written  of  Enoch  that  he  walked  with  God ; 
here  is  not  an  idle,  but  an  active  communion. 

There  is  far  too  little  meditation  and  holy 
contemplation  in  the  world  to-day.  This  is  a 
fast  age  and  everything  is  running  at  light- 
ning speed.  Electricity  and  steam  have  taken 
the  place  of  the  horse,  and  men  are  whirled 
about  at  a  rapid  rate  and  few  take  time  for 
serious  thought.  Commercialism  has  well 
nigh  reached  its  zenith  and  men  must  act 
quickly  if  they  would  keep  up  with  the  pro- 
cession that  is  bent  on  obtaining  material 
things.  But  they  keep  up  only  for  a  moment, 
their  overworked  brain  and  nerves  soon  sue- 


232  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 

cumb  to  the  strain.  They  drop  out  and  others 
take  their  places  only  to  meet  the  fate  of  their 
predecessors.  Perhaps  nowhere  as  in  Amer- 
ica are  the  people  living  at  such  a  high  tension. 
The  people  of  New  York  City  are  said  to  be 
the  most  nervous  people  on  the  globe.  In  Lon- 
don where  more  people  live  and  do  business 
than  any  other  place  in  the  world,  one  does  not 
see  the  rushing  through  life  as  in  the  United 
States,  and  there  are  less  accidents  and  loss  of 
life  where  the  traffic  is  the  heaviest. 

Satan  wants  no  better  way  of  getting  the 
souls  of  men  than  by  rushing  them  through 
life  in  pursuit  of  material  things.  When  once 
started  on  the  mad  rush  for  gold,  pleasure  or 
worldly  fame,  it  is  next  to  impossible  to  get  one 
to  stop  and  consider  his  end. 

God's  people  are  a  meditative  people  and 
their  thoughts  are  ever  on  the  things  that  per- 
tain to  God  and  eternity.  Perhaps  no  other 
Bible  character  was  so  given  to  meditation  as 
was  David,  and  he  was  a  man  after  God's  own 
heart.  When  with  the  sheep  on  the  hillsides 
he  meditated  continually  on  God's  statutes  and 
precepts  and  declared  that  His  commandments 
were  ever  with  him.  From  the  lowly  life  of 
a  shepherd  boy  he  scaled  the  heights  of  God's 
promises  and  reached  the  throne.       Through 


A  GOOD  VIEW-POINT 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  235 

his  holy  musings  he  became  familiar  with 
His  statutes  or  promises  and  he  put  them 
to  the  test.  He  undertook  great  things  for 
God  and  expected  great  things  from  Him. 

If  we  would  improve  our  lives  we  must  put 
our  meditations  into  practice.  If  we  wish  to  be 
in  health  we  do  not  sit  in  the  house  and  breathe 
over  and  over  again  the  air  that  comes  to  us, 
but  we  break  away  from  our  prison  and  seek 
God's  great  out-of-doors,  and  if  there  be  any 
elevated  spots  about  us  we  travel  thither  that 
we  may  better  inhale  the  invigorating  breeze. 

There  is  something  peculiarly  fascinating 
about  mountain  climbing  and  the  benefits  de- 
rived from  such  practice  are  invaluable  to  the 
physical  man.  The  writer  lived  in  the 
shadows  of  Pike's  Peak  for  a  number  of  weeks 
and  occasionally  went  up  into  the  foot-hills, 
but  he  was  not  quite  satisfied  until  he  had  stood 
on  the  summit  of  this  noted  mountain.  Hav- 
ing made  the  ascent  during  the  night,  we  stood 
on  top  just  at  the  break  of  day.  We  looked 
toward  the  east  and  clouds,  dark  and  gray,  and 
some  almost  colorless,  hung  low  over  the  earth 
and  cast  their  gloom  everywhere.  But  pres- 
ently streaks  of  fiery  red  and  gold  began  to 
shoot  out  in  every  direction  and  the  sun  ap- 
peared, and  what  a  moment  before  was  dull  and 


236  '  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 

uninteresting  shone  out  in  magnificent  beauty 
and  we  stood  in  awe  at  the  majesty  of  the 
scene.  Who  could  look  upon  such  glorious 
beauty  and  not  have  his  mind  drawn  out  in  holy 
meditation  and  want  to  live  better  that  he 
might  have  a  part  in  God's  great  plan  of  re- 
demption and  learn  more  of  what  lies  out  be- 
yond? If  one  remains  down  in  the  valley  he 
can  see  but  a  short  distance  and  may  have  but 
a  slight  conception  of  the  nature  of  the  country 
about  him.  It  is  good  to  exercise  oneself  in 
reaching  high  altitudes  and  secure  a  view,  not 
only  of  the  things  above,butof  thosebelow.  The 
vision  is  unobstructed  and  things  look  different. 
Thus  it  is  with  the  soul  that  is  in  a  vigorous 
spiritual  state.  He  does  not  merely  think  upon 
such  holy  doctrines  as  may  come  into  his  mind 
in  the  regular  course  of  thought,  but  he  gives 
time  to  meditation,  and  exercises  daily  in  ex- 
ploring fields  of  truth  and  in  climbing  the 
heights  of  God's  promises.  He  seeks  out  the 
best  view-points  obtained  through  truth,  and 
looks  back  upon  the  past  as  well  as  into  the 
future. 

Just  as  the  sun's  rising  caused  the  dullness 
of  the  clouds  to  vanish  and  made  them  to  daz- 
zle the  eyes  with  their  beauty,  just  so  does  the 
Sun  of  Righteousness  arise  with  healing  in  His 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  237 

wings  and  transform  the  sinful  soul  and  make 
it  to  reflect  the  image  of  God.  One  marvels 
at  such  a  wonderful  change,  but  such  is  the 
power  of  the  Gospel  to  bring  the  sinner  to  re- 
pentance, lift  him  out  of  the  fogs  and  miasmas 
of  this  world  and  make  him  a  person  whom 
God  and  the  angels  are  pleased  to  look  upon. 

Let  not  the  reader  merely  think  upon  holy 
doctrines  and  go  through  religious  forms,  but 
let  him  meditate  continually  upon  the  works  of 
God's  hands  and  begin  to  climb.  We  may  go 
higher  and  higher  and  from  each  view-point 
get  an  idea  of  what  God  has  in  store  for  those 
who  follow  in  the  way  of  His  commandments. 
If  we  travel  the  way  of  righteousness  unto  the 
end  we  shall  some  day  stand  with  Christ  on 
some  starry  height  and  gaze  upon  the  glorious 
views  of  His  kingdom  throughout  all  eternity. 
The  Christian  life  is  one  of  progress  and  they 
who  remain  as  they  are  from  day  to  day  and 
are  not  gaining  new  heights  continually  are 
surely  in  a  dangerous  condition  and  traveling 
the  downward  path. 

As  it  is  written,  Eye  hath  not  seen,  nor 
ear  heard,  neither  have  entered  into  the  heart 
of  man,  the  things  which  God  hath  prepared 
for  them  that  love  him. 


238  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 

THE  STAMPEDE 


AND  THE  HERD  ran  violently  down  a 
steep  place  into  the  sea"  (Mark  5:13). 
"All  animals  that  go  in  herds  are  sub- 
ject to  instantaneous  attacks  of  uncontrollable 
terror,  under  the  influence  of  which  they  be- 
come perfectly  mad,  and  rush  headlong  in 
dense  masses  on  any  form  of  death.  Horses, 
and  more  especially  cattle,  often  suffer  from 
stampedes;  it  is  a  danger  against  which  cow- 
boys are  compelled  to  be  perpetually  on  guard. 
A  band  of  stampeded  horses,  sweeping  in  mad 
terror  up  a  valley,  will  dash  against  a  rock  or 
tree  with  such  violence  as  to  leave  several  dead 
animals  at  its  base,  while  the  survivors  race  on 
without  halting;  they  will  overturn  and  de- 
stroy tents  and  wagons,  and  a  man  on  foot 
caught  in  the  rush  has  but  a  small  chance  for 
his  life.  A  buffalo  stampede  is  worse — or 
rather  was  worse,  in  the  old  days — because  of 
the  great  weight  and  immense  numbers  of 
these  beasts,  which  in  a  fury  of  heedless  terror 
plunged  over  cliffs  and  into  rivers,  and  bore 
down  whatever  was  in  their  path." 

— The  Wilderness  Hunter. 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  241 

The  reader  may  ask  what  starts  animals 
on  these  stampedes  that  bring  sure  and  swift 
destruction  to  every  Hving  creature  before 
them  as  well  as  to  themselves.  We  have  seen 
a  single  little  calf  seized  with  this  peculiar 
terror,  run  for  miles  across  the  prairie.  While 
asleep  in  the  sage  brush  a  passing  band  of  wild 
horses  started  him  from  his  resting  place  and 
he  followed  in  their  cloud  of  dust  for  several 
miles  and  when  he  could  no  longer  keep  up  with 
them,  he  took  a  different  direction  and  went 
rushing  blindly  through  wire  fences  and  across 
ditches  as  far  as  we  could  see  him  go.  Often 
large  numbers  of  cattle  will  be  grazing  in  a  val- 
ley or  along  the  foothills  when  the  sudden  ap- 
pearance of  a  wolf  or  a  bear  from  the  timber 
will  disturb  a  few  head  which  immediately  take 
to  their  heels.  Thus  terrorized  the  spirit  goes 
from  one  to  the  other  and  soon  a  large  number 
are  on  the  move.  Then  sometimes  the  sudden 
approach  of  a  storm  or  blizzard  may  start 
them,  and  at  other  times  they  will  start  without 
any  apparent  cause  for  alarm. 

In  the  earher  days  when  the  cattle  on  the 
plains  were  of  a  wilder  nature  and  were  herded 
in  ■  greater  numbers,  stampedes  among  them 
were  more  frequent  and  when  once  started 
it  meant  death  to  many  of  them  and  endan- 

16 


242  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 

gered  the  lives  of  those  who  were  in  charge. 
Different  methods  were  employed  by  the  cow- 
boys in  their  attempts  to  stop  a  stampede,  but 
all  efforts  were  often  of  little  effect.  They 
ride  along  the  forward  side  of  the  herd  yelling 
and  often  firing  into  the  air,  and  not  infre- 
quently shoot  down  a  leader  or  two  with  the 
hope  of  checking  the  others.  If  they  can  get 
them  to  "milling"  or  circling  around,  they  have 
a  fair  chance  of  checking  the  stampede.  On 
such  occasions  a  horse  sometimes  stumbles  and 
falls  and  the  entire  herd  passes  over  both  horse 
and  rider  and  they  are  trampled  to  death. 
Like  the  herd  of  demon-possessed  swine  we 
read  about  in  the  Bible  that  ran  over  the  preci- 
pice and  were  drowned  in  the  sea,  the  cattle 
seem  -^/owerless  to  stop.  They  seem  driven  by 
an  evil  force  that  is  bent  on  their  destruction. 
On  the  great  herd  goes  across  the  prairie,  up 
hill  and  down  hill,  through  the  sage  brush  and 
across  ravines.  Occasionally  one  stumbles 
and  falls  and  is  trampled  to  death,  but  the 
mass  with  unabated  strength,  rushes  on,  leav- 
ing in  their  wake  a  cloud  of  dust.  At  last  a 
great  precipice  is  reached  and  the  yawning 
canon  is  open  to  receive  them.  Below  are 
jagged  rocks  and  written  on  them  is  DEATH. 
Those  in  the  lead  would  stop  now,  were  it  in 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  243 

their  power  to  do  so,  but  it  is  too  late.  They 
pause  for  an  instant,  but  those  in  the  rear  that 
cannot  see  the  danger  as  they  do,  crowd  up 
from  behind  and  preclude  any  possibility  of 
their  stopping,  and  in  great  numbers  they  drop 
to  their  doom  and  pile  up  in  the  canon. 

Sheep,  too,  suffer  no  little  from  stampedes. 
Though  of  a  docile  disposition,  they  are  ex- 
ceedingly timid  and  easily  affrighted,  and  are 
sometimes  seized  with  sudden  fear  by  a  wolf 
or  coyote  entering  the  flock.  They  seldom 
make  long  dashes  across  the  country,  but  when 
thus  affrighted  they  crowd  against  one  an- 
other and  many  are  knocked  down,  and  not 
infrequently  large  numbers  pile  up  together 
in  a  ravine  or  depression  in  the  earth  and  are 
smothered. 

With  the  passing  of  the  buffalo  and  the 
diminishing  of  the  great  herds  of  cattle  in  the 
West,  stampedes  among  animals  are  almost 
a  thing  unheard  of,  but  we  want  to  tell  you 
about  another  stampede.  It  had  its  beginning 
centuries  ago  with  the  human  race.  In  the 
Garden  of  Eden  all  was  at  first  peace  and  quiet. 
But  that  frightful  creature,  the  serpent,  en- 
tered and  beguiled  our  first  parents,  and  the 
race  was  started  on  the  mad  rush  to  destruc- 
tion, and  has  gathered  momentum  with  each 


244  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 

succeeding  generation.  ''And  God  looked 
upon  the  earth,  and,  behold,  it  was  corrupt; 
for  all  flesh  had  corrupted  his  way  upon  the 
earth.  And  God  said  to  Noah,  The  end  of 
all  flesh  is  come  before  me;  for  the  earth  is 
filled  with  violence  through  them ;  and,  behold, 
I  will  destroy  them  with  the  earth."  Thus  it 
was  that  sin  and  disobedience  started  men 
toward  misery  and  death.  The  flood  came 
and  from  the  tranquil  surroundings  in  Eden 
the  race  had  rushed  into  the  turbulent  and 
boundless  waters  and  all  but  eight  souls  were 
destroyed.  Thus  was  the  reign  of  evil  on  the 
earth  checked  for  a  period  and  one  stampede 
of  human  beings  brought  to  an  end,  but  it  was 
not  long  until  man  was  again  seized  with  the 
spirit  of  evil  and  all  down  the  ages  great  mul- 
titudes have  been  rushing  headlong  over  the 
precipice  into  eternal  night.  Here  and  there 
an  individual  or  two,  or  small  companies  break 
away,  and  through  the  power  of  God,  throw 
off  the  spell  that  possessed  them  and  are  saved, 
but  the  masses  rush  on  heedless  of  their  doom. 

Young  men  and  women  living  quiet  and 
happy  in  their  homes  are  often  seized  with  a 
desire  to  get  out  into  the  world.  They  give 
way  to  their  inclinations,  throw  off  the  hand  of 
restraint,  and  are  soon  lost  in  the  mad  rush 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  247 

with  those  who  are  already  going  at  a  rapid 
rate.  When  once  in  the  great  company  and 
under  the  spell,  one  looks  about  him  and  sees 
everybody  going  in  the  same  direction  and 
he  comes  to  the  conclusion  that  they  are  going 
the  right  way  and  will  eventually  reach  a 
place  of  safety,  that  danger  has  been  left  in 
the  rear  and  that  all  must  be  well.  But  instead 
of  escaping  danger,  he  all  too  soon  finds  himself 
at  the  edge  of  the  great  abyss.  Fain  would 
he  put  the  brakes  on,  but  it  is  too  late.  Like 
the  cattle  or  buffaloes,  he  must  face  the  inevi- 
table and  be  carried  over  the  precipice  from 
whence  there  is  no  return. 

If  animals  had  the  power  to  control  thein- 
selves  there  would  never  have  been  any  such 
thing  as  a  stampede.  V/hen  danger  threat- 
ened they  could  have  escaped  it  without  bring- 
ing on  a  greater  danger.  So  it  is  with  man, 
perfect  self-control  wrll  fortify  him  against 
becoming  swallowed  up  of  the  masses  whose 
end  is  misery.  Self-control  is  a  rare  virtue 
and  a  lack  of  it  is  manifested  in  many  ways. 
This  lack  is  exhibited  by  the  drunkard  when  he 
repeatedly  partakes  of  that  which  is  working 
his  ruin  and  bringing  disgrace  and  misery  to 
his  friends  and  loved  ones.  It  is  exhibited  by 
the  man  or  woman  who  under  trial  gives  way 


248  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM   ^ 

to  his  temper  and  sends  forth  a  volley  of  angry 
words  and  displays  the  hatred  in  his  heart. 
Such  exhibitions  of  a  lack  of  self-control  are 
index-fingers  pointing  to  the  fact  that  the  one 
who  thus  indulges  himself  is  a  part  of  the 
great  stampede  whose  end  is  destruction.  The 
power  of  God  alone  can  help  a  person  to  con- 
trol himself  and  deliver  him  from  the  power  of 
evil  that  is  driving  myriads  to  their  doom. 

The  gentle  reader  may  try  to  imagine  this 
illustration  of  the  stampede  too  strong  to  com- 
pare with  human  beings  traveling  through  life, 
but  can  a  picture  be  drawn  or  language  be 
chosen  that  will  rightly  convey  to  our  minds 
the  misery  of  sin  and  the  horror  of  its  eternal 
punishment?  We  say  no.  Verily  the  end  of 
the  wicked  is  torment  and  there  is  no  escape 
for  those  who  allow  themselves  to  be  carried 
on  the  tide  of  sin  and  worldliness  and  fail  to 
lay  hold  on  eternal  life. 

All  who  are  living  in  sin  and  have  not 
been  converted  are  in  this  stampede  or  mad 
rush  of  human  beings,  and  the  longer  one  con- 
tinues his  course  the  less  are  his  chances  for 
extricating  himself  and  it  is  only  a  question  of 
a  little  time  until  the  awful  crash  will  come. 
But  God,  through  His  Son  Jesus,  has  provided 
a  way  of  escape  for  every  soul.     By  the  for- 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN 


249 


saking  of  sin  and  by  giving  God  the  preemi- 
nence in  the  Hfe,  the  power  of  evil  may  be 
broken  and  one  may  become  fortified  against 
the  forces  that  start  one  on  the  mad  rush  to 
ruin.  Reader,  resist  evil  and  lay  hold  on  Him 
who  alone  is  able  to  save.  Remember  that  a 
lack  of  self-control  drives  men  to  the  most 
frightful  extremes  and  ends  their  lives  in 
misery. 


..iii^^--« 


250  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 

A  GOLD  RIDE 


IT  was  December,  and  the  many  cattle  be- 
longing to  the Herding  Association 

had  been  rounded  up,  gathered  in  from 
the  summer  range  and  trailed  to  their  winter 
quarters  fifty  miles  distant.  When*  the  round- 
ing up  had  been  accomplished  and  preparations 
were  completed  for  moving  camp,  the  gates 
were  opened  and  the  cattle  set  at  liberty.  Scar- 
city of  feed  and  prevailing  storms  had  made 
them  restless  and  they  were  ready  to  travel  in 
most  any  direction.  The  older  cattle  having 
been  over  the  trail  before  needed  little  driving 
when  once  set  at  liberty,  and  started  at  a  steady 
gait  over  the  trail  in  the  direction  of  home. 

To  one  viewing  the  scene  from  an  elevated 
position  a  few  miles  away,  the  large  herd  of 
cattle  on  the  snow-covered  earth,  appeared  to 
be  a  large  dark  spot,  which  gradually  grew 
smaller  and  assumed  an  elongated  form  as  the 
cattle  strung  out  across  the  foothills.  In  due 
time  the  last  few  stragglers  had  left  the  field, 
and  the  herd  of  seven  or  eight  thousand  head 
formed  a  continuous  line  reaching  to  the  foot 
of  the  divide  eight  miles  distant. 


li:    II    ! 


<t 


twl 


it 

(!) 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  253 

On  reaching  the  hill,  the  progress  of  the 
larger  and  stronger  cattle  is  slackened  but  little 
and  they  continue  on  to  the  top  of  the  divide 
and  down  on  the  other  side,  and  before  thebreak 
of  another  day  some  of  them  are  entering  the 
fields  at  the  home  ranch.  But  the  younger  and 
weaker  ones  come  to  a  halt  and  it  takes  some 
.work  on  the  part  of  the  cowboys  and  their 
horses  to  get  them  over  the  hill.  However, 
the  work  is  accomplished  and  the  cattle  are 
driven  home,  separated  and  put  in  different 
fields  for  the  winter,  and  another  season's  work 
is  practically  over,  while  the  cowboys  sit  in  the 
bunkhouse  on  the  long  winter  evenings  and  re- 
late experiences  of  riding  broncos,  roping 
steers,  etc. 

But  the  subject  of  this  sketch  was  sug- 
gested through  an  altogether  different  expe- 
rience. After  a  fall  round-up  there  are  al- 
ways a  few  cattle  here  and  there  hid  away  in 
the  timber  and  secluded  corners  of  the  range 
that  have  escaped  the  eyes  of  the  riders.  To 
search  out  these  a  single  rider,  usually  the  fore- 
man of  the  herd,  makes  another  ride  or  two 
into  the  snowy  mountains.  On  the  occasion 
in  mind  he  saddled  a  small  roan  pony  and 
started  out  from  the  home  ranch  on  the  after- 
noon of.  a  cold  day.     At  night  time  he  put  up 


254  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 

at  a  comfortable  ranch  house  thirty  miles  away. 
Here  he  enjoyed  the  hospitality  of  friends  and 
appreciated  warm  quarters  for  the  night.  The 
next  day  the  weather  was  terrific.  The  ther- 
mometer was  not  far  from  thirty  below  zero, 
and  the  wind  was  blowing  a  gale  and  coming 
from  the  direction  the  young  man  was  travel- 
ing. Gladly  would  he  have  camped  at  the 
house  and  waited  for  more  favorable  weather, 
but  such  would  never  do.  He  was  sent  out  by 
men  who  believed  in  him  and  trusted  him  to 
bring  their  stock  safely  in,  and  to  fail  might 
mean  the  loss  of  position  and  reputation. 

A  twenty  mile  ride  against  a  strong  wind 
on  such  a  day  is  not  relished  very  much  even 
by  a  Montana  cowboy.  Nevertheless  he 
mounts  his  wiry  little  steed  and  is  soon  push- 
ing his  way  against  snow  and  wind  up  the  val- 
ley of  G .     In  less  than  an  hour  he  is  five 

miles  away  at  the  foot  of  the  noted  divide.  HeVe 
a  comfortable  lodging  house  oif ers  shelter  from 
the  storm,  but  he  must  go  on.  Four  miles  trav- 
eling through  deep  snow  would  place  him  on 
top  at  an  altitude  of  eight  or  ten,  thousand 
feet  above  sea  level.  The  road  up  the  hill  has 
long  since  been  obliterated  by  drifting  snow, 
but  here  and  there  high  posts  designed  for  the 
purpose,  mark  the  way  for  the  traveler.     The 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  257 

wind  seems  to  be  trying  itself,  coming  -directly 
down  the  mountain  side,  bringing  the  snow 
with  it.  One  can  scarcely  look  up  for  a  mo- 
ment, but  must  battle  along  with  bowed  head 
to  shield  one's  face  from  the  cutting  snow. 
Even  the  hardy  little  pony  bows  his  head  and 
would  fain  turn  about  and  go  in  the  opposite 
direction.  How  much  easier  would  it  be  going 
down  hill  with  the  wind  than  going  up  hill 
against  it.  Many  a  time  had  the  rider  gone 
over  this  same  route,  but  never  before  had 
the  way  seemed  so  rugged  and  the  top  so  far 
away.  Now  and  then  he  was  compelled  to  dis- 
mount and  walk  for  a  distance  to  keep  warm  as 
well  as  to  rest  his  horse.  At  last  the  top  is 
reached  and  the  descent  of  the  other  side  ac- 
complished. Here  in  the  valley  a  ranch  house 
is  reached  where  a  halt  for  the  noon  hour  is 
made.  What  a  happy  retreat  from  the  storm 
was  the  firmly  built  log  house  heated  by  a  large 
stove !  One  might  well  enjoy  such  a  place  for 
days  and  be  loath  to  venture  out  again. 

After  partaking  of  a  warm  lunch  the  cow- 
boy pursued  his  journey  and  put  up  at  another 
ranch  house  for  the  night,  having  traveled  all 
day  without  seeing  another  traveler.  After 
riding  two  or  three  days  he  sought  out  a  num- 
ber of  head  of  cattle  and  returned  with  them  to 

17 


258  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 

the  home  ranch,  and  the  season's  work  ended. 

Such  experiences  of  battUng  against  the 
cold  and  stormy  weather  are  common  in  the 
Hfe  of  a  cowboy  on  the  western  plains,  but  this 
one  is  cited  because  it  is  associated  in  our  mind 
with  experiences  that  come  to  a  pilgrim  travel- 
ing the  rugged  way  to  heaven  and  who  is 
searching  the  cold  mountains  of  a  sinful  world 
for  the  lost  and  perishing  ones  that  he  might 
save  them  and  bring  them  to  a  place  of  shelter. 
Ofttimes  the  way  seems  exceptionally  rugged 
and  the  cold  winds  from  a  godless  world  beat 
fiercely  against  the  Christian.  At  such  times 
he  may  be  tempted  to  turn  from  the  way  and 
shirk  his  responsibility  and  pursue  a  course 
that  offers  less  resistance,  but  he  is  reminded 
of  his  duty  to  humanity:  he  realizes  that  the 
perishing  ones  need  his  help,  and  with  renewed 
strength  and  courage  born  of  heaven,  he  strug- 
gles on.  Then  again  he  is  impressed  that  his 
employer  is  the  King  of  the  universe,  and  to 
iorfeit  His  good  will  and  blessing  would  be 
ignominious  failure  and  would  ultimately 
mean  the  loss  of  all  things.  * 

If  you  would  serve  God  daily  and  enjoy 
His  blessings  eternally,  bear  in  mind  that  the 
way  to  heaven  does  not  lie  over  brussels 
carpets,  neither  is  it  strewn  with  roses.     The 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  259 

gentle  zephyrs  from  the  heavenly  world  may 
play  about  your  fevered  brow  at  times,  and  the 
atmosphere  be  laden  with  the   fragrance  of 
flowers,  but  if  you  would  be  a  life-long  soldier 
for  Jesus  Christ  you  will  meet  with  varied  ex- 
periences.    You  may  be  basking  in  sunshine 
to-day,  and  to-morrow  have  the  fierce  gales 
^of  reproach  and  persecution  blowing  against 
^ou  threatening  to  turn  you  from  your  course. 
But  here  one's  purpose  of  heart  is  tried; 
2I  here  endurance  is  essential.     Those  who  give 
P  up  the  struggle  before  they  reach  the  top  of 
a    the  Great  Divide,  will  find  themselves  drifting 
J     with  the  wind  (world),  and  their  end  is  de- 
struction if  they  are  not  checked  in  sorhe  way. 
But  he  who  goes  steadily  on  and  faces  every 
difiiculty  with  a  brave  heart  will  finally  reach 
the  top,  having  finished  hrs  course  and  con- 
quered every  foe,  even  death.     He  may  look 
back  down  the  mountain  side  and  think  of  the 
trials  and  the  conflicts  he  had  with  self,  sin 
and  the  devil  along  the  way,  but  they  will  seem 
as  nothing,  when  viewing  his  eternal  posses- 
sions and  contemplating  the  rest  and  blessed- 
ness that  are  his  forever.     Reader,  do  you  not 
think  it  will  pay  you  to  make  the  fight  against 
worldliness  and  sin  and  live  a  pure  and  hply 
Hfe? 


26o  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 


THE  HARVEST  IS  PAST 


SINCE  there  are  so  many  cattle,  horses  and 
sheep  in  the  West,  it  is  very  necessary 
that  there  be  much  hay  on  w^hich  to  feed 
them  during  the  long  and  severe  v^inter 
months.  On  the  average  farm  in  the  eastern 
states  v^here  all  the  stock  that  is  kept  is  a  itw 
v^ork  horses  and  a  fev^  milk  cow^s,  all  the  hay 
that  is  raised  could  easily  be  put  av^ay  in  a 
large  hay  mov^^  or  stacked  in  a  small  stack  con- 
sisting of  a  itw  tons. 

But  not  so  on  the  large  stock  ranches  of 
the  West,  where  hay  is  the  principal  and  per- 
haps the  only  crop  the  rancher  has  to  depend 
upon.  Here,  especially  in  the  upper  or  ele- 
vated valleys,  w^here  the  hay  is  principally 
v^ild  grasses,  the  industry  is  carried  on  on  a 
very  extensive  scale.  Much  machinery,  many 
wagons,  horses  and  men  are  required  to  har- 
vest the  vast  crop  on  some  of  the  larger 
ranches.  It  sometimes  takes  six  weeks  or 
longer  to  accomplish  the  task,  hundreds  and 
even  thousands  of  tons  being  harvested  on  one 
ranch.  The  hay  is  put  in  large  stacks,  some 
of  them  consisting  of  a  hundred  tons  or  more, 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  263 

but  usually  from  forty  to  seventy-five  tons  is 
the  amount  put  in  a  stack.- 

You  might  ask  where  so  many  men  are 
secured  to  harvest  so  much  hay.  Indeed  it  is 
sometimes  difficult  to  obtain  the  necessary 
help,  but  as  good  wages  are  offered  for  this 
kind  of  work,  men  come  from  the  cities  and 
towns  by  the  dozens  to  hire  out  to  the  ranchers 
for  the  haying  season.  Often  men  of  little 
principle  are  hired,  who  only  want  to  work 
long  enough  to  obtain  a  few  dollars,  and  then 
they  are  off  to  the  nearest  town  to  spend  it  for 
drink  or  something  else  that  is  unprofitable  to 
them.  This  of  course  causes  the  rancher  no 
little  bother,  for  he  often  is  left  without  men 
and  has  to  drive  thirty  or  forty  miles  after  an- 
other crew,  if  it  so  happens  that  he  lives  so 
far  from  town. 

Then  again  harvesting  the  hay  crop  is 
sometimes  retarded  by  rain,  though  it  rains 
much  less  in  Montana,  Wyoming  and  other 
western  states  than  in  the  East.  Happy  in- 
deed is  the  rancher  when  the  last  load  .  is 
hauled  from  the  field  and  the  last  stack  ''topped 
out,"  or  finished.  He  breathes  a  sigh  of  re- 
lief and  says,  "Well,  we  are  done  for  this 
year."  The  long  stacker  poles  are  taken  down, 
and  the  ropes,  nets,  pulleys,  machines,  pitch- 


264         •         FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 

forks,  etc.,  are  put  away,  not  to  be  used  again 
till  the  next  haying  season  rolls  around. 

The  horses  are  turned  out  in  the  large 
fields  and  some  of  them  may  not  be  used  until 
harvest  comes  again.  The  men  are  paid  off, 
who  scatter  out  and  find  their  way  in  com- 
panies of  four  or  five,  singly  or  in  pairs,  to  the 
different  towns  along  the  railroad.  Here 
many  of  them  "eat,  drink,  and  be  merry"  so 
long  as  their  money  lasts,  which  is  usually  not 
very  long,  then  they  are  looking  for  another 
job. 

But  before  leaving  for  the  city  let  us  as- 
cend to  some  elevated  position  (or  perhaps  our 
road  leads  over  the  high  divide  which  separates 
one  valley  from  another),  and  take  a  view  of 
the  extensive  hay-fields  below.  When  we  first 
viewed  the  fields,  vast  stretches  of  tall,  green 
grass,  waving  to  and  fro  in  the  breezes,  met 
our  eyes  on  every  side.  Then  the  click  of  the 
mower  is  heard,  and  the  grass  is  laid  flat 
upon  the  ground.  In  due  time  the  rake  comes 
along,  and  the  next  we  see  the  whole  field  is 
thickly  dotted  with  little  mounds  or  cocks  of 
hay.  Now  that  the  harvest  is  ended  large 
stacks  are  in  evidence  everywhere.  Here  stands 
two,  a  little  distance  away  three,  over  in  an- 
other field  is  four  or  five,  and  so  on  till  the  once 


MOUNTAIN  AND  PLAIN  265 

<* 

conspicuous  ranch-houses  have  faded  into  in- 
significance in  camparison  to  the  stacks  of  hay. 
Several  days  or  perhaps  a  few  weeks  of  hot 
sun,  together  with  the  showers  of  rain  or  dew, 
have  bleached  their  tops  and  sides  until  they 
have  become  a  rich  yellow  and  glisten  like  gold 
in  the  bright  sunlight.  And  indeed  they  are  as 
gold  to  the  rancher,  for  without  them  his  stock 
would  perish  for  want  of  the  nourishment 
which  the  hay  alone  contains. 

It  is  but  three  or  four  months,  however, 
after  the  hay  is  stacked,  till  the  cold  winds 
are  blowing  and  the  snow  flying,  and  covering 
up  the  short  grass  in  the  meadows,  which 
necessitates  the  stock's  being  fed.  The  hay  is 
loaded  onto  wagons  and  hauled  to  the  field 
where  the  hungry  cattle  or  sheep  stand  waiting 
for  it.  It  is  thrown  out  on  the  snow  or  frozen 
ground  in  forkfuls  as  the  team  moves  along, 
and  if  the  cattle  are  exceedingly  hungry  some 
of  the  hay  seems  never  to  touch  the  ground 
so  eagerly  do  they  gather  it  up.  Thus  by  this 
process  the  once  numerous  stacks  are  reduced 
to  a  minimum  until  by  spring  scarcely  one  can 
be  seen.  But  our  heavenly  Father,  who  is  the 
giver  of  every  good  and  gracious  gift,  sends  the 
springtime,  with  its  bright  sunshine,  and  im- 
mediately another  crop  is  under  way  of  growth. 


266  FLASHLIGHTS  FROM 

We  wonder  if  many  of  our  readers  ap- 
preciate God's  goodness  in  supplying  them  so 
bountifully  with  these  things.  We  dare  say 
many  of  you  never  give  the  question  a  passing 
thought.  A  thing  more  wonderful  and 
more  greatly  to  be  prized  than  hay,  corn,  wheat 
and  oat  crops,  is  the  provision  God  has  made 
for  the  soul  of  man.  Those  who  come  unto 
Him  seeking  rest  and  deliverance  from  sin  will 
have  heavenly  blessings  bestowed  upon  them 
that  will  last  throughout  the  endless  ages  of 
eternity.  In  this  life  they  will  be  led  beside 
still  waters  and  green  pastures.  They  may 
partake  of  the  waters  of  salvation  and  never 
thirst  again,  they  may  eat  of  the  heavenly 
manna  and  never  hunger  again.  The  wealth 
of  this  world  will  fade  and  fail,  but  he  who  lays 
up  treasures  above  shall. never  come  to  want. 

Happy  indeed  is  the  person  who  starts  out 
in  life  to  seek  heavenly  treasures.  Those  who 
seek,  find.  To  those  who  knock,  the  door  shall 
be  opened.  He  that  asketh  receiveth.  Soon 
the  harvest  of  life  will  be  over  and  every  op- 
portunity gone.  May  it  not  be  said  of  any  of 
our  readers,  ''The  harvest  is  past,  the  summer 
is  ended,  and  we  are  not  saved." 


.  .  .  BIBLE    SCHOOL  .  ,  . 

AND  

MISSIONARY   TRAINING    HOME 

^^  ZAREPHATH^' 

BOUND  BROOK,  NEW  JERSEY. 


A  HOLINESS  SCHOOL.  WITH  NEW  TESTAMENT 

TEACHINGS, 
^        :^  PRACTICES  and 

^         ^^  EXPERIENCES. 


An  Institution  for  the  Training  of 

PREACHERS,    MISSIONARIES 
AND   EVANGELISTS. 

This  School  furnishes  practical  training  for  the  develop- 
ment of  symmetrical  Christian  character,  equipping  the 
student  for  efficient  service  in  the  Lord's  vineyard.  God  is 
leading  from  victory  to  victory.  The  principal  cloctrines 
are  Justification,  Sanctification,  The  Second  Coming  of  the 
Lord  and  the  Restoration  of  the  Jews. 

For  Further  Particulars,  Address 
PILLAR  OF  FIRE,  BOUND  BROOK.  N.  J. 


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f^ 


